(1) An electric provider or independent power producer that, at its option or as required by the commission, proposes to obtain a certificate for and construct an energy facility shall hold a public meeting in each affected local unit. At least 30 days before a meeting, the electric provider or IPP shall notify the clerk of the affected local unit in which a public meeting will be held of the time, date, location, and purpose of the meeting and provide a copy of the site plan as described in section 224 or the address of an internet site where a site plan for the energy facility is available for review. At least 14 days before the meeting, the electric provider or IPP shall publish notice of the meeting in a newspaper of general circulation in the affected local unit or in a comparable digital alternative. The notice shall include a copy of the site plan or the address of an internet site where the site plan is available for review. The commission shall further prescribe the format and content of the notice. For the purposes of this subsection, a public meeting held in a township is considered to be held in each village located within the township.

    (2) At least 60 days before a public meeting held under subsection (1), the electric provider or IPP planning to construct an energy facility shall offer in writing to meet with the chief elected official of each affected local unit, or the chief elected official's designee, to discuss the site plan.

    (3) If, within 30 days following a meeting described in subsection (2), the chief elected official of each affected local unit notifies the electric provider or IPP planning to construct the energy facility that the affected local unit has a compatible renewable energy ordinance, then the electric provider or IPP shall file for approval with each affected local unit, subject to all of the following:

    (a) An application submitted under this subsection shall comply with the requirements of section 225(1), except for section 225(1)(j) and (s). An affected local unit may require other information necessary to determine compliance with the compatible renewable energy ordinance.

    (b) A local unit of government with which an application is filed under this subsection shall approve or deny the application within 120 days after receiving the application. The applicant and local unit of government may jointly agree to extend this deadline by up to 120 days.

    (c) The electric provider or IPP may submit its application to the commission if any of the following apply:

    (i) An affected local unit fails to timely approve or deny an application.

    (ii) The application complies with the requirements of section 226(8), but an affected local unit denies the application.

    (iii) An affected local unit amends its zoning ordinance after the chief elected official notifies the electric provider or IPP that it has a compatible renewable energy ordinance, and the amendment imposes additional requirements on the development of energy facilities that are more restrictive than those in section 226(8).

    (d) An electric provider or IPP that submits an application to the commission pursuant to this subsection is not required to comply with subsection (1) or section 226(1), or the requirement to submit a summary of community outreach and education efforts pursuant to section 225(1)(j).

    (4) If a local unit of government approves an application pursuant to subsection (3), construction of the proposed energy facility must begin within 5 years after the date the permit is granted and any challenges to the grant of the permit are concluded. The local unit of government may extend this timeline at the request of the electric provider or IPP without requiring a new application. The local unit shall not revoke a permit issued under subsection (3) except for material noncompliance with the permit by the electric provider or IPP.

    (5) If the commission approves an applicant for a certificate submitted under subsection (3)(c), the local unit of government is considered to no longer have a compatible renewable energy ordinance, unless the commission finds that the local unit of government's denial of the application was reasonably related to the applicant's failure to provide information required by subsection (3)(a).

    (6) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit remedies available to an applicant to appeal a denial by a local unit of government under any other law of this State.