The legislature could choose one of three paths for Xcel’s Prairie Island nuclear power plant: Let it close down because there’s no room left to store waste; let the company store more waste, but force them to take more steps toward replacing the plant with renewable energy sources; or let them store more waste without conditions.

Senators on the Commerce and Utilities Committee voted down the best option Wednesday when they defeated a bill that would allow more waste storage with environmental conditions, such as a requirement that Xcel get 10 percent of its energy from cleaner, more renewable sources

by 2010. Sen. Dan Sparks of Austin is on the committee.

The company says it will have to close the plant by 2007 if it doesn’t get approval to store more nuclear waste. That’s not a desirable outcome; the state relies on the plant for a significant portion of its electricity needs. A better approach would be to gradually phase out nuclear energy, eliminating the problem of where to store waste and removing a potential hazard at a time when terrorists are thought to be sizing up nuclear plants as possible targets.

The best course would be to keep requiring more reliance on sources of power like wind energy. The southern part of the state especially has incredible potential for wind power, and as technology improves, electricity becomes easier to generate with wind turbines.

A bill moving through the House would allow Xcel to store more waste without any environmental conditions. That approach only preserves the status quo, doing nothing to answer the long-term questions about nuclear power. The state’s leaders shouldn’t let a bill pass without thinking about the future and taking the opportunity to encourage a transition from non-renewable to renewable energy sources.

Tribune editorials represent the opinion of the newspaper’s management and editorial staff.