The government said on Tuesday that t was awaiting the response of joint venture partners GE and Bechtel for extending technical support to enable NTPC to start power generation at the idle Enron-promoted Dabhol power plant.

"The finance secretary had called a meeting about a week back. We are still awaiting a response from GE and Bechtel", power secretary R V Shahi said in New Delhi.

Shahi said the two partners had told the government that they would have to seek concurrence of their head offices for extending technical support to National Thermal Power Corporation for restarting power generation at the plant in Maharashtra.

The two companies hold close to 20 per cent stake in the bankrupt power project where Enron Corporation holds a majority of 65 per cent stake and state electricity board owns the remaining 15 per cent.

NTPC had earlier agreed to run the plant on behalf of the lenders at Rs 2.80 per unit while the Maharasthra government had agreed to buy DPC power once again.

Shahi said, under the agreement worked out earlier, the two partners were to thrash out the terms and conditions with NTPC to facilitate resumption of generation activities.

Asked whether the promoters had found any buyers for offloading their equity stake, Shahi said the response of the partners was essential before proceeding with sale.

Shahi said two steps were needed to be taken under the law to permit the Dabhol plant to resume production.