By rule and after hearing, the Director of the State Department of Energy may adopt a schedule of reasonable fees which the State Department of Energy may require of applicants for preliminary or final certification under ORS § 469B.130 to 469B.169. Before the adoption or revision of the fees, the department shall estimate the total cost of the program to the department. The fees shall be used to recover the anticipated cost of filing, investigating, granting and rejecting applications for certification and shall be designed not to exceed the total cost estimated by the department. Any excess fees shall be held by the department and shall be used by the department to reduce any future fee increases. The fee may vary according to the size and complexity of the facility. The fee shall not be considered as part of the cost of the facility to be certified. [Formerly 469.217]