All hearings conducted pursuant to this act shall be in accordance with the provisions of the Kansas administrative procedure act. All such hearings shall be completed within 30 days after the commencement thereof, unless the electric utility requests a continuance of any such hearing. All costs of any hearing pursuant to this act shall be taxed against the electric utility. The commission shall make its decision with respect to the necessity for and the reasonableness of the location of the proposed electric transmission line, taking into consideration the benefit to both consumers in Kansas and consumers outside the state and economic development benefits in Kansas. The commission shall issue or withhold the permit applied for and may condition such permit as the commission may deem just and reasonable and as may, in its judgment, best protect the rights of all interested parties and those of the general public.
K.S.A. 66-1,180