The next election is expected to be held later this year and recent big increases in off-peak electricity are a hot political issue in regional Victoria.

The Bracks Government introduced a $118 million special power payment scheme to subsidise country users and promised to consider how to address the city-country price gap.

The Victorian Government has also called for a 60% increase in Australia's renewable energy target.

The Victorians want the current federal government target of producing 9,500 gigawatt hours of electricity from renewable source by 2010 raised to 15,100 gigawatt hours.

Victoria wants to lessen its dependence on brown coal, which is a major source of greenhouse gases.