The Nebraska utility that owns the troubled Fort Calhoun nuclear power plant has decided to spread out the cost of repairs at the plant over 10 years to lessen the immediate impact on rates.

The Omaha Public Power District said Thursday that roughly $143 million in operations and maintenance costs for the plant that sits about 20 miles north of Omaha will be deferred. That includes this year's and next year's projected costs.

Fort Calhoun has been shut down since April 2011, and it's not clear when federal regulators will allow it to restart. The plant initially shut down for routine maintenance, but last summer's flooding along the Missouri River and several regulatory violations forced it to remain offline.

Environmentalists would like it to stay shuttered for good.