A Nebraska utility has decided to hire outside expertise to run its troubled nuclear power plant.

At a meeting in Blair on Thursday, the Omaha Public Power District directors voted to contract with Exelon Generation LLC to run the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station.

The nuclear plant about 20 miles north of Omaha is under close scrutiny by regulators. Fort Calhoun was initially shut down for routine refueling maintenance in April 2011, but flooding along the Missouri River and the safety violations forced it to remain offline.

Exelon Generation says it operates 17 reactors at 10 nuclear power plants situated in Illinois, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Exelon Generation is owned by Chicago-based Exelon Corp.