A B757-200 WAS DISPATCHED OVERWATER IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE R EEC INOP AND DEFERRED.

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DURING TAXI BEFORE TKOF; THE L EEC LIGHT ILLUMINATED WITH ASSOCIATED EICAS MESSAGE. THE CAPT AND I COMPLIED WITH THE PROC AND TURNED OFF BOTH EEC'S. AS I MONITORED TWR FREQ; THE CAPT; RELIEF PLT; AND I CONSULTED THE MEL. MEL 73-1A GAVE THE CAPT 1 OF 2 OPTIONS: TO CONTINUE THE FLT; AND HE ELECTED THAT OPTION. WE PLACARDED THE EEC ACCORDING TO COMPANY PROCS. DESPITE THE PROVISION IN THAT MEL THAT NO PRIOR NOTIFICATION TO DISPATCH WAS REQUIRED; THE CAPT CHOSE TO INFORM DISPATCH AS AN ADDED PRECAUTION. THROUGH ZZZ OPS WE PASSED A MESSAGE TO DISPATCH WITH THE DETAILS OF THE CAPT'S DECISION. THE MESSAGE PASSED BACK TO US FROM DISPATCH THROUGH ZZZ OPS WAS THAT THE DISPATCHER AGREED WITH THE CAPT'S DECISION AND THAT; ALTHOUGH THE DISPATCHER APPRECIATED THE MESSAGE; THERE WAS NO REQUIREMENT TO HAVE NOTIFIED DISPATCH. WE PROCEEDED TO ZZZ1 WITHOUT INCIDENT. ONCE AT ZZZ1; OPS INFORMED US THAT MAINT HAD DECIDED THAT THE RETURN FLT WOULD BE CANCELED AND THAT WE WOULD FERRY THE AIRPLANE BACK TO ZZZ UNDER FAR PART 91.