SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                 -------------------------------------------


                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT

                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       the Securities Exchange Act of 1934



                                 Date of Report
                      (Date of earliest event reported):

                               September 15, 1998

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                           THERMO ELECTRON CORPORATION
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)


Delaware                        1-8002                    04-2209186
(State or other               (Commission              (I.R.S. Employer
jurisdiction of               File Number)             Identification Number)
incorporation or
organization)


81 Wyman Street
Waltham, Massachusetts                                        02454 
(Address of principal executive offices)                    (Zip Code)


                                (781) 622-1000
                         (Registrant's telephone number
                              including area code)












Item 5.     Other Events

      On September 15, 1998,  Thermo Electron  Corporation  ("Thermo  Electron")
issued a press release  announcing  that its Chief  Financial  Officer,  John N.
Hatsopoulos, will retire as of January 1, 1999. Succeeding him in that role will
be Theo  Melas-Kyriazi,  currently  Vice  President of Corporate  Strategy.  Mr.
Hatsopoulos  will  continue to serve as  non-executive  Vice  Chairman of Thermo
Electron's board of directors.











                                    SIGNATURE



      Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, on this 15th day of September, 1998.



                                          THERMO ELECTRON CORPORATION


                                          By: /s/ Kenneth J. Apicerno
                                             Kenneth J. Apicerno
                                             Treasurer