'Bring it on': Bowen calls for nuclear details

While Liberal leader Peter Dutton had promised to reveal six sites for nuclear power plants before last week's budget, the details have not yet been made available.

Speaking in Toowoomba during the Sustainable Agriculture Summit, Mr Bowen said it was 660 days ago that Mr Dutton said that nuclear would be part of the Coalition energy policy.

"This is showing contempt for Australian people," he said.

"Eleven weeks ago he said he'd release them in a couple of weeks time.

"This is a mess when it comes to Opposition policy, the time for talking is over... where will the nuclear reactors be, what will the cost be?"

Nationals leader David Littleproud has previously said Coalition internal polling of residents near locations being considered for nuclear plants were positive.

Divisions where coal plants are scheduled to close in coming years are Gippsland in Victoria, Maranoa and Flynn in Queensland, O'Connor in WA and Hunter in NSW, with the Coalition already flagging that retiring coal plants could be replaced with nuclear plants to make use of existing poles and wires.

Mr Bowen said Mr Littleproud's comments indicate he is well aware of where of the locations would be.

"If he's so proud of his policy he would have released it by now," he said.

"This is a really serious thing, you're proposing a risky energy policy within Australia, you've got to be upfront about it.

"CSIRO says it's the most expensive form of energy, he says he knows more about it than the CSIRO, he says he knows us more about nuclear science than a scientist.

"Tell us what your costings are and we'll put them up to the light and see if they survive contact with reality.

"I'm ready for this debate.

"Bring it on... where's your policy?"

Meanwhile Mr Bowen backed the NSW government's decision to extend the life of Australia's biggest coal-fired power station for at least two more years.

The Eraring Power Station in Lake Macquarie is now due to stay open until at least August 2027, despite it having previously been slated for closure in August 2025.

"My position is the Eraring Power Station should be open not a day longer than it should be and closed not a day earlier than it should.

"I think the NSW government has done a good job in negotiating that... that ensures that NSW will have reliable energy supply through this transition."