(a) Any county government which has adopted a geothermal element to its general plan may petition the commission for delegation of the commission's exclusive authority to certify geothermal power plants and related facilities vested in Section 25500 of the Public Resources Code.

(b) Two or more counties, each of which has adopted a geothermal element to its general plan and which have executed a joint powers agreement or its equivalent for the administration of such geothermal power plant siting authority as may be delegated by the commission, may jointly petition the Energy Commission for delegation of its exclusive authority to site its geothermal power plants and related facilities.

(c) Upon the delegation of geothermal power plant siting authority by the Energy Commission, the county government or governments which have petitioned for such delegation shall be exclusively responsible for administering and deciding upon all applications for geothermal power plants and related facilities which are wholly located within the territorial jurisdiction of the petitioning county or counties until such time as the authority delegated pursuant to this article shall have been revoked pursuant to the provisions of Section 1870.

(d) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any application for a geothermal power plant and related facilities which are not wholly located within the territorial jurisdiction of such counties that have been delegated siting authority pursuant to the provisions of this article. Applications for such facilities shall be filed with the commission.