New Delhi, March 24: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday said his government was committed to developing nuclear energy as part of a multi-pronged strategy for energy security as the country could not depend on just one or two sources to meet the growing demand for power.

"Our government is committed to further development of energy both as an environment friendly source of power and as a means of widening the energy basket available to us," he said, laying the foundation stone for the Rs 5,000 crore gas based power project at Bawana here.

The plant is to be commissioned ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

India is trying to push through a civilian deal with the US that would give it access to American nuclear fuel and equipment, but the pact is being fiercely opposed by the UPA's Left allies on the ground that it would compromise India's sovereignty.

Currently, nuclear power accounts for just three per cent of India's installed power generation capacity, while over 60 per cent of it is being met by coal.

The Prime Minister said that while some sources of energy might be cheap today, the country needs to think for future generations. "Our energy needs are bound to grow. We will be failing in the duty to our nation and to posterity, if we do not look ahead and take steps for not just today and tomorrow but for future generations," he said.

Singh said the strategy for energy security was multi-pronged. "We don't have the luxury of depending upon only one or two sources," he said.

The Prime Minister said while generation of hydel power gives rise to concerns on environment and dislocation, creation of solar power in large quantity would take some time.

He said with growing urbanisation, the demand for electricity is outpacing existing sources of supply. "Hence, we must widen our energy basket to ensure energy security," Singh said.

The government hopes that it would be able to increase contribution of nuclear power to total generation capacity from the present 3 per cent to 10 per cent if the Indo-US civil nuclear deal comes through.

The deal, the only one of its kind with a nation that is not a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, if implemented, would give India access to fuel that would allow it to run its 22 reactors in full capacity.

Singh added that conservation of energy was as important as increasing its supply.

"When I was a child, we were told to switch off the light when leaving the room. These days it has become fashionable to keep all the lights switched on in homes. We must rediscover the value of austerity in the use of scarce energy resources," the Prime Minister said.

The 1,500 MW gas-based project at Bawana in the National Capital is being set up by Pragati Power Corporation (PPCL) and scheduled to come up before the Commonwealth Games 2010.

Besides the project at Bawana, PPCL is setting up a 750 MW project at Bamnauli in Delhi. The state has also tied up with Haryana and NTPC to set up a 1,500 MW project at Jhajjar. Delhi and Haryana would each draw 750 MW from the project.

US to press Oz for India

Melbourne: The US is likely to seek a "promise" from Australia that it will not vote against a Nuclear Suppliers' Group waiver for India to allow nuclear commerce with it, a key requirement for the implementation of the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal.

The "thorny issue" of "Australia's attitude to the civil nuclear agreement" is expected to come up during a meeting between US President George W Bush and Australia's new Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in Washington this week, the Sydney Morning Herald reported today as External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee arrived in the US to hold talks on the deal.

The Rudd Government has already made it clear that it will reverse a decision by the previous John Howard administration to sell uranium to India as New Delhi is not a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty

"But the Bush Administration is expected to seek a promise from Australia that it will not vote against the Indian agreement in the Nuclear Suppliers' Group, in which it is one of 45 member states," the Herald said.

With the deal bogged down in India's domestic politics, Rudd, who will undertake his maiden visit to the US after taking over as prime minister, "may stop short of giving a firm undertaking now," it said.

The violence in China and Tibet is also likely to be high on the agenda in the talks, with Bush likely to seek Rudd's opinion on how to pressure Beijing to open a dialogue with the Dalai Lama, the report said.

As Rudd had decided to withdraw Australian troops from Iraq, the discussions are also expected to focus on the improving security situation in Iraq and on what Australia can contribute to the reconstruction efforts in that country.