(a)(1) No person other than a gas company shall sell or offer to sell in intrastate commerce to any retail customer who receives primarily firm service within this state any commodity sales service or distribution service without first obtaining a certificate of authority from the commission covering the territory where such retail customer is located.

(2) The commission shall have the authority to issue multiple certificates of authority with respect to a particular territory upon a showing that the applicant:

(A) Possesses satisfactory financial and technical capability to render the certificated service;

(B) Has a sufficient gas supply to meet the requirements of such service; and

(C) Will offer such service pursuant to rules and contract terms which the commission finds economically viable for the territory which the marketer proposes to serve.

(3) A showing of public convenience and necessity is not a condition for the issuance of a competing certificate of authority.

(4) A certificate of authority shall authorize the marketer to use intrastate capacity available to it from a gas company to provide interruptible distribution service when not required by the marketer to provide firm distribution service.

(b) A person who seeks a certificate of authority shall make an application to the commission which contains the information required by this Code section.

(c)(1) No later than December 31, 1997, the commission shall promulgate regulations describing the information to be included in an application for certification under this Code section and the criteria it will use in determining an applicant's financial and technical capability. Such criteria shall seek to ensure the reliability and high quality of gas service provided to consumers, while imposing no unnecessary barriers to entry, including without limitation administrative barriers to entry.

(2) No such application shall be filed with respect to territory covered by the certificate of public convenience and necessity of a gas company until such gas company has filed a notice of election pursuant to the provisions of subsection (a) of Code Section 46-4-154.

(3) Until the expiration of 15 days following the effective date of rates approved by the commission pursuant to Code Section 46-4-154 for an electing distribution company, the commission shall not approve or disapprove any complete application for a certificate of authority covering territory certificated to such electing distribution company which application is filed prior to such expiration date, and all applications for certificates of authority filed prior to such expiration date shall be considered by the commission simultaneously. (4) Within 60 days following such expiration date, the commission shall conduct a public hearing or hearings on all complete applications filed prior to such expiration date. Within 90 days following such expiration date, the commission shall issue its orders approving or disapproving each of such applications for a certificate of authority.

(5) The commission shall conduct a public hearing on any application for a certificate of authority filed subsequent to such expiration date within 60 days following the filing of such application; and within 90 days following such filing, the commission shall issue its order approving or disapproving such application.

(d) Any certificate of authority issued by the commission is subject to revocation, suspension, or adjustment where the commission finds upon complaint and hearing that a marketer has failed repeatedly or has failed willfully to meet obligations to its retail customers which are imposed by this article, regulations issued pursuant to this article, or the marketer's certificate of authority; has engaged in unfair competition; or has abused its market position.

(e) The commission may deny an application upon a showing that the applicant or anyone acting in concert with the applicant has a history of violations of laws, rules, or regulations designed to protect the public. The commission may revoke any certificate issued pursuant to this Code section where it finds that the marketer or anyone acting in concert with the marketer has such a history, that any information on the application was falsified or forged, that the marketer has acted unlawfully to the detriment of the public while certificated, or for any other good and valid reason where activities of the marketer are serving or could serve to mislead, deceive, or work a fraud upon members of the public. The commission shall be authorized to adopt rules and regulations to implement this subsection. In any case where it is asserted in good faith that the marketer is, has been, or may be about to become involved in activities described in this subsection, any deadline imposed under this Code section regarding the granting of certification shall be null and void until such time as such assertions can be addressed.