Energy Minister Peter Collier has lashed out at the Prime Minister after she pushed the states to do more to curb electricity price increases.

In a speech today, Julia Gillard criticised state governments over their management of the energy sector.

In response, Mr Collier said the PM had "the credibility of a cane toad".

Ms Gillard told the Energy Policy Institute that she had written to premiers and chief ministers requesting energy policy solutions on the table by the end of the year.

''Australia did not need nearly 50 per cent price increases for households over the last four years - and Australians can't afford the same kind of increases over the next four years," she said.