The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that the government may consider cost in deciding whether power plants must install upgrades that would protect fish.

The case originally involved the Hudson River and the Indian Point nuclear plants.

The court's decision Wednesday is a defeat for environmentalists, who had urged the justices to uphold a lower court ruling that could have required existing power plants to install technology that uses recycled water for cooling.

Environmental activists were hoping to force Indian Point's owner, Entergy, to pay billions for a new cooling system or close even its doors permanently.

Entergy spokesman Jerry Nappi says the company, which is expected to reap savings of about $1.5 billion because of the ruling, is pleased with the court's decision.

AP wire services were used in this report.