Premier Colin Barnett appears to have firmed in his view that state electricity network operator Western Power will be sold, saying the Government has little alternative.

Mr Barnett has long-opposed the sale of the utility, arguing Western Power was essential infrastructure that should remain in public ownership.

But faced with a deteriorating budget, the prospect of a $15 billion return on Western Power is becoming increasingly irresistible.

"I am reluctant, but at this stage, we really have little alternative," Mr Barnett said.

The Government is being squeezed by declining royalty revenues, a slide in tax income, and a diminished share of GST revenue.

He said options were now very limited.

"What is more important?" he asked.

"Retaining Western Power in Government ownership, or ensuring we can maintain funding in law and order, in education and health, the areas that are the prime responsibility of the State Government?"

The Government is on track to record back-to-back $3 billion deficits with state debt forecast to reach almost $30 billion by the end of June.

It has already laid out a string of public assets for sale including Fremantle Port, with the aim of paying down debt.

If Western Power is added to the list, Mr Barnett said the sale proceeds would serve a dual purpose, retiring debt but also giving Government the "freedom" to continue its capital works program.

Mr Barnett said he expected that if the utility was sold, it would be sold as one entity.

He said the Government would ensure there was no upward pressure on power prices from a new private operator.

"The Government will want to be absolutely assured that there is no risk to consumers in the form of higher prices," he said.

Liberal backbencher Rob Johnson, who is one of Mr Barnett's most strident critics, has condemned the potential sale of Western Power as an act of political self-preservation.

"I thought that I had found one area of fiscal agreement that I had with the Premier, and that was that Western Power should not be sold," Mr Johnson told Parliament.

"However, that was before it became clear to him, there was a lot of unrest, not just with his Treasurer, but enough of the backbenchers to possibly cause his leadership to come under challenge.

"Looks like self-preservation has won the day because he now wants to sell Western Power."

Mr Barnett has repeatedly said that no decision has yet been made on the sale of Western Power, but any decision to sell the utility would be included in the May state budget.