(a) As authorized by federal law, not later than nine months after the executive director declares an application for a permit under this chapter for an advanced clean energy project to be administratively complete, the executive director shall complete its technical review of the application.
(b) The commission shall issue a final order issuing or denying the permit not later than nine months after the executive director declares the application technically complete. The commission may extend the deadline set out in this subsection up to three months if it determines that the number of complex pending applications for permits under this chapter will prevent the commission from meeting the deadline imposed by this subsection without creating an extraordinary burden on the resources of the commission.

(c) The permit process authorized by this section is subject to the requirements relating to a contested case hearing under this chapter, Chapter 5, Water Code, or Subchapters C-G, Chapter 2001, Government Code, as applicable.
(d) The commission shall adopt rules to implement this section.