Treasury documents showing $100 million could be used from asset sales to prop up the stricken company didn't mean that was going to happen, he said on Monday.
"Treasury is being ultra-conservative,
Art Culture it's covering all the possible technical alternatives," he said.
"If we do make a payment it will be a secured loan."
The stricken state-owned coal mining company is $389m in debt and is trying to negotiate a rescue deal with Treasury and the banks it owes money to.
Labour has accused the government of not telling the truth and says it didn't previously reveal any plans to use the proceeds from the Mighty River Power sale for helping out Solid Energy.
Mr English still hasn't clearly explained why the Treasury put $100m for solid Energy in its estimates alongside previously announced spending on schools and hospitals.
"Treasury has been telling us the best way would be a secured loan,
Limited company Hong Kong even though they've accounted for it as if it could be other things," he said.
Labour says the estimates were signed off by the cabinet, so ministers must have known why it was there.
"It's not the same thing as a cabinet decision to spend money," Mr English said.
"There's been a bit of over-reaction to the Treasury document."
Prime Minister John Key, who appeared to have been caught out by the Treasury document when he was questioned earlier on Monday,
Asian college of knowledge management says nothing has been paid out to Solid Energy and no asset sales cash will be used.
PR
