That's because he's anxious people don't get the idea there's a crisis, although an energy saving campaign will start on TV this Sunday - unless it rains a lot between now and then.
"We're not saying the lights are going out," Mr Parker told a press conference yesterday.
"That's why we're very careful with our language around here because no matter what we say some people seem to come out with a doomsday prediction that the lights are going out."
About an hour later National's energy spokesman Gerry Brownlee issued a statement headed "So there IS a power crisis after all."
Mr Brownlee has been trying to convince everyone for the last few months that there is a crisis.
The way he sees it, power cuts would be a big turn off for voters so the Government doesn't want anyone to know doomsday is approaching.
But Mr Parker is an insistent minister.
"It's not a crisis, it's just another step along the way when you have a dry winter," he said.
"There are various levels of contingency in the system, and obviously if you save a bit of power now by being prudent it actually gives you an extra layer of contingency."
He explained that during the last really dry year, 1992, more water was flowing into the hydro lakes than it is now.
Despite this, the lake levels are higher than they were at this time in 1992.
That proved the system was being managed much more efficiently than it was then, he said.
The TV ads are apparently going to be pitched at a level that won't risk causing any real concern.
"We're not calling for people to turn off all their towel rails, but we would like them to think about whether they should leave them on overnight," Mr Parker said.
"It will be encouraging people to turn off the lights when they're not in the room and turn off appliances when they're not in use."
The Government seems to be distancing itself not only from a crisis that doesn't exist but from the energy saving campaign as well.
Mr Parker pointed out, twice, that the electricity industry was paying for it.
