Victoria must ensure it does not become overly reliant on renewable energy, because "cheap power means jobs", Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has said.

Mr Joyce and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten visited Gippsland, in the state's east, following the announcement earlier this month that Hazelwood power station in Morwell will close in March.

Mr Joyce said it was important there continued to be a focus on access to cheap base load power, and that Victoria did not become overly reliant on renewable energy, like South Australia had.

The South Australian Government was criticised after a statewide blackout in September reignited concerns about its dependence on renewable energy.

The Hazelwood closure is expected to result in the loss of about 1,000 direct and indirect jobs in the Latrobe Valley.

"Cheap power means you've got jobs. The way to get cheap power is base load power supply," Mr Joyce said.

"You can't just pull that out [Hazelwood] without there being the creation of uncertainty, especially for industry.

"I would love to hear Bill's story about what he was going to do for jobs in the region.

"I look at the bloke and I can't see someone who has actually gone out in the sun and done a day's work."

Shorten wants Hazelwood workers to stay in power industry

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten meets manufacturing workers at Moe, in the Latrobe Valley. ( ABC Gippsland: Nicole Asher )

Mr Shorten visited the Latrobe Valley to meet with Hazelwood power station workers, and backed union calls for volunteer redundancies at all Victorian power stations.

Mr Shorten said he would be listening to what Hazelwood workers wanted.

"They've put forward that view that volunteers for redundancy should be called for across the power industry, and some of those who want to keep working in the power industry from Hazelwood could fill the vacancies from some of those other plants," he said.

"This is where government comes in. You've got to lead, not follow. I think the Government has to sit down and talk to the generators.

"If you are operating a power generator, and you've got someone you know who is approaching retirement … and you know that down the road there's another bloke, or another woman, who … is very committed to working in the industry, why wouldn't you want to try and have a system which allocated the people who want to keep working in the industry for another couple of decades?

Mr Shorten called on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to visit the Latrobe Valley.

Infrastructure projects will boost jobs, Joyce says

Mr Joyce said the Federal Government was creating jobs in the region through investment in the Princes Highway duplication, the Port of Sale redevelopment, and an upgrade to Macalister Irrigation District infrastructure important to the dairy industry.

During a visit to the Macalister Demonstration Farm near Maffra, Mr Joyce confirmed $20 million for upgrades for the irrigation district, which would replace open channels with pipelines to reduce water loss through evaporation.

"It will produce about 200 jobs as they build it and 100 ongoing jobs after that," Mr Joyce said.