GA HB1233

Requires the Georgia Public Service Commission to charge affected utilities for the cost of specialized testimony and assistance in affiliate transaction audits, nuclear power cost monitoring, utility rate cases, fuel cost recovery cases, gas supply cases, and capacity supply cases

Caps charges at $200,000 per case per year for most proceedings, with a higher cap of $600,000 per case per year for utility rate cases, generation construction monitoring, integrated resource planning cases, and generation certification cases

Adjusts the maximum fee annually based on the Consumer Price Index as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with the commission selecting a comparable inflation measure if CPI becomes unavailable

Requires the commission to issue an order setting forth the scope and budget before obtaining specialized testimony and assistance, and mandates commission review and approval of all related invoices before a utility is required to pay

Allows utilities to recover the full amount of charges as a necessary cost of providing service, including through a dedicated cost-recovery rider at the utility's election; exempts Tier 1 local exchange companies under alternative regulation and certificated competing local exchange carriers