Tens of billions of dollars of potential infrastructure funding for NSW has been put in doubt after Premier Barry O'Farrell appeared to rule out taking the sale of the remaining electricity assets to the next election.

Some MPs are warning that failure to sell the network will hurt western Sydney where the government is seeking to cement its foothold, while business groups have renewed their calls for the Premier to commit to privatising the assets.

NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell: appeared to rule out taking the sale of remaining electricity assets to the next election. Credit:James Brickwood

In an interview on ABC local radio on Thursday, Mr O'Farrell was asked for his position on the privatisation of the state's ''poles and wires'', or electricity network businesses. He responded that the Coalition's commitment before the last election was not to sell them and that ''remains intact''. Asked if that meant he would not take the policy to next year's election, he responded: ''That's right.''

Mr O'Farrell has been urged to sell the assets to help meet the state's infrastructure backlog but has said he will not proceed with a sale without an electoral mandate.