Exhibit 10.5

                               TECO ENERGY GROUP
                    SUPPLEMENTAL EXECUTIVE RETIREMENT PLAN
                              FOR ROGER H. KESSEL


SECTION 1.  PURPOSE AND EFFECTIVE DATE

      The  purpose  of  this  plan  is to provide Roger H. Kessel, Senior Vice
President  -  General  Counsel  and  Secretary of TECO Energy, with additional
retirement  income by supplementing the retirement benefits provided under the
retirement  plan.   The plan was originally effective as of  December 1, 1989.
The effective date of this amendment and restatement is January 15, 1997.


SECTION 2.  DEFINITIONS

      This  section contains definitions of terms used in the plan.  Where the
context so requires, the singular includes the plural, and the plural includes
the singular.

      2.1   Annual  earnings  will  have the same meaning as in the retirement
plan, except that the same will be determined without regard to (a) any dollar
limitation  on  such  annual earnings that may be imposed under the retirement
plan  or  (b) any reduction in taxable income as a  result of voluntary salary
reduction  deferrals  under  the  TECO  Energy Group Retirement Savings Excess
Benefit Plan.

      2.2   Average  annual earnings of Mr. Kessel as of any date of reference
means  the  average  of  his annual earnings during whichever of the following
periods  yields  the  highest average: (a) the 36 consecutive months of active
employment  preceding  the  date  of reference (or all months of employment if
less  than  36),  or  (b) any three consecutive calendar years out of the five
calendar  years  preceding  the  date  of  reference.  Bonuses are included as
compensation  for  the  period in which paid, provided that if more than three
regular  annual  bonuses are paid in any 36 consecutive month period, only the
largest three bonuses will be counted.

      2.3   Board means the Board of Directors of TECO Energy.

      2.4   Committee means the retirement plan committee as constituted under
the retirement plan.

      2.5   TECO  Energy means TECO Energy, Inc. and any successor to all or a
major  portion of its assets or business which assumes the obligations of TECO
Energy, Inc. under this plan.

      2.6   Disability  income  plan  means  the  TECO Energy Group Disability
Income Plan, as amended from time to time.



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                                                     Exhibit 10.5

      2.7   Plan means the TECO Energy Group Supplemental Executive Retirement
Plan  for Roger H. Kessel, as set forth in this plan instrument, and as it may
be amended from time to time.

      2.8   Retirement  means termination of Mr. Kessel's employment with TECO
Energy  by Mr. Kessel or TECO Energy for any reason on or after he attains age
55.

      2.9   Retirement  plan  means  the TECO Energy Group Retirement Plan, as
amended from time to time.

      2.10  Service  will  have  the  same  meaning  as  "plan service" in the
retirement plan.

      2.11  Social  security benefit of Mr. Kessel as of any date of reference
(the  "computation date") means the primary insurance amount to which he is or
would  be  entitled,  payable  under Title II of the Social Security Act as in
effect  on  such  date,  based  on the assumptions: (a) that no changes in the
benefit  levels  payable  or  the  wage  base  under  Title II occur after the
computation  date;  (b)  that,  if  the computation date falls before his 62nd
birthday,   his  annual  earnings  during  the  calendar  year  in  which  the
computation  date  falls  and  during  any subsequent calendar year before the
calendar  year  in  which his 62nd birthday falls is zero; (c) that payment of
his  primary insurance amount begins for the month after he reaches age 62, or
his  date of retirement if later, without reduction or delay because of future
gainful  employment  or  delay  in  applying  for  benefits;  and (d) that his
earnings  for calendar years before the calendar year in which the computation
date  falls will be determined using his actual earnings history if available,
and otherwise by applying a six percent retrospective salary scale to his rate
of  annual  earnings  in  effect on the computation date.  The social security
benefit  of  Mr. Kessel if he retires after his 65th birthday will include any
delayed retirement credit.

      2.12  Survivor  income  plan means the TECO Energy Group Survivor Income
Plan, as amended from time to time.



















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                                                     Exhibit 10.5

ECTION 3.   RETIREMENT BENEFITS

      3.1   Retirement  at  or  after  age  62.   Subject to the reductions in
Section 6.1 below, if Mr. Kessel retires on or after attaining age 62, he will
receive a supplemental monthly retirement benefit equal to one-twelfth of five
percent  of his average annual earnings multiplied by his years of service (or
portions thereof) up to a maximum benefit of 60% of his final average earnings
(60% is equal to five percent multiplied by a maximum of 12 years of service).
Mr.  Kessel's  retirement benefit hereunder will be calculated using his years
of  service (or portions thereof) and average annual earnings as of his actual
date of retirement.

      3.2   Retirement  before  age  62.  Subject to the reductions in Section
6.1  below,  if  Mr. Kessel retires before attaining age 62, he will receive a
supplemental monthly retirement benefit equal to one-twelfth of (a) the amount
determined  using the formula in Section 3.1 above, multiplied by (b) an early
retirement factor determined under the following table:

             Years by which the 
              start of payments                 Early retirement
              precedes age 62*                         factor      

                    7                          .65
                    6                          .70
                    5                          .75
                    4                          .80
                    3                          .85
                    2                          .90
                    1                          .95

                    *  Interpolate for completed months

      3.3   Form of Payment.

            (a)   Normal  form  of  retirement  benefits.   The normal form of
retirement  benefit  payable  to  Mr. Kessel under the plan is a life annuity.
Benefits  payable  in the normal form will begin on the first day of the month
coinciding with or next following the date of Mr. Kessel s retirement.

            (b)   Optional  lump  sum  benefit.  In lieu of the normal form of
benefit, Mr. Kessel may elect to receive payment of his benefit in the form of
a  commuted  single sum payment that is the actuarial equivalent of the normal
form  of  benefit (including the value of the post-retirement surviving spouse
benefit  under  Section  4.2(c)).   If Mr. Kessel elects to receive a lump sum
payment,  such  payment  will be made on the first day of the month coinciding
with or next following the date Mr. Kessel s employment terminates.  Actuarial
equivalence  will be based on the actuarial assumptions specified from time to
time  in  the  retirement plan for lump sum payments. Mr. Kessel s election to
receive a lump sum payment will be effective only with respect to a retirement
occurring  at  least 12 months after the date Mr. Kessel submits the election,
provided  that  elections  submitted  on  or  before December 31, 1996 will be
immediately effective.


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                                                     Exhibit 10.5

SECTION 4.  SURVIVING SPOUSE BENEFIT

      4.1   Eligibility.    Mr.  Kessel's  surviving  spouse  will receive the
surviving  spouse  benefit  if  Mr. Kessel and his spouse were married to each
other for at least the 12 months preceding Mr. Kessel's death and, in the case
of Mr. Kessel s death after retirement, Mr. Kessel and his spouse were married
to each other on Mr. Kessel's date of retirement.

      4.2   Amount  of  surviving  spouse  benefit.  Subject to the reductions
described  in  Section  6.2  below, the benefit provided under the plan to Mr.
Kessel's surviving spouse will be determined as follows:

            (a)   Pre-retirement  before  age  62.   If Mr. Kessel dies during
employment with TECO Energy and before his 62nd birthday, his surviving spouse
will  receive  a  monthly  survivor  income payment equal to 50 percent of his
monthly   projected  retirement  benefit.    Mr.  Kessel's  monthly  projected
retirement  benefit  is  the  monthly benefit he would have received if he had
retired  at  age  62  under  Section  3.1  calculated using his average annual
earnings determined as of his date of death.

            (b)   Pre-retirement  on  or  after  age  62.   If Mr. Kessel dies
during  employment  with  TECO  Energy  on  or  after  his  62nd birthday, his
surviving  spouse  will  receive a monthly survivor income payment equal to 50
percent  of  his monthly retirement benefit earned under Section 3.1 using his
years  of  service (or portions thereof) and his average annual earnings as of
his date of death.

            (c)   Post-retirement.  If Mr. Kessel dies on or after the date of
his  retirement,  his  surviving spouse will receive a monthly survivor income
payment equal to 50 percent of the monthly benefit payment he was receiving at
his  death  (or would have received if he had survived until the first payment
date).

      4.3   Form  and  time  of  surviving  spouse  benefit.  Surviving spouse
benefits  under  this  Section  4  will  be payable only in the form of a life
annuity to the surviving spouse.  Benefit payments will begin on the first day
of the month coinciding with or next following the date of Mr. Kessel's death.

      4.4   Death  benefit where lump sum paid.  If Mr. Kessel received a lump
sum  payment  of his benefit under Section 3.3(b), no surviving spouse benefit
or other death benefit will be payable under the plan to any person.
 

SECTION 5.  DISABILITY

      5.1   If  Mr.  Kessel  suffers  a  total  disability  (as defined in the
disability  income  plan)  before age 62, he will continue to be credited with
service  as  if  he were actively employed by TECO Energy during his period of
total  disability.  Mr. Kessel may not receive benefits under this plan at any
time  when  he  is  receiving  disability income payments under the disability
income  plan.    Benefits under this plan will begin when payments cease under
the disability income plan.


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                                                     Exhibit 10.5

      5.2   Mr.  Kessel's  disability  date  is  his last day of work for TECO
Energy  before  becoming  unable  to  continue  working  because  of his total
disability.    A  period  of  total disability of Mr. Kessel will begin on his
disability  date  and  will end on the earlier of the last day of the month in
which  his  final disability income payment is due under the disability income
plan  or  on  the  date  he  retires  hereunder  and  starts receiving benefit
payments.

      5.3   If  Mr.  Kessel does not return to active service with TECO Energy
after  suffering  a  total disability, his retirement benefits under Section 3
will  be  calculated  using  his  average annual earnings as of his disability
date,  his  total  service including service credited under Section 5.1 above,
and his primary social security benefit as of his date of disability.

      5.4   If  Mr.  Kessel dies while disabled, his surviving spouse will, if
eligible, receive the pre-retirement surviving spouse benefit determined under
Section 4.2(a) or (b).


SECTION 6.  OFFSET FOR OTHER PAYMENTS

      6.1   Mr.  Kessel's  retirement  benefit  will be reduced (but not below
zero)  by  the  following  payments,  with  such reductions starting when such
payments are assumed to begin:  (a) 100 percent of the social security benefit
of Mr. Kessel assuming such benefit begins on the later of the date he reaches
age  62  or  his actual retirement, and (b) the amount of his benefit payments
under the retirement plan (converted to a life annuity if such payments are in
an  optional  form),  assuming such payments begin on the later of the date he
reaches age 55 or his actual retirement.

      6.2   The  benefit of Mr. Kessel's surviving spouse will be reduced (but
not  below  zero)  by the following payments:  (a) payments under the survivor
income plan, and (b) payments under the retirement plan.


SECTION 7.  BENEFITS NOT CURRENTLY FUNDED

      7.1   Nothing  in  this  plan  will be construed to create a trust or to
obligate  TECO  Energy  or any other employer to segregate a fund, purchase an
insurance  contract,  or in any other way currently to fund the future payment
of  any  benefits hereunder, nor will anything herein be construed to give Mr.
Kessel  or any other person rights to any specific assets of TECO Energy or of
any other employer or entity.

      7.2   Notwithstanding Section 7.1, TECO Energy has established a grantor
trust  of  which  it is treated as the owner under Section 671 of the Internal
Revenue Code to provide for the payment of benefits hereunder.


SECTION 8.  ADMINISTRATION

      The  plan  will  be  administered by the committee, which will have full
power and authority to construe, interpret and administer the plan.  Decisions

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                                                     Exhibit 10.5

of the committee will be final and binding on all persons.  The committee may,
in  its discretion, adopt, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to
the administration of the plan.


SECTION 9.  RIGHTS NON-ASSIGNABLE

      Neither Mr. Kessel, his surviving spouse, nor any other person will have
any  right  to  assign  or otherwise to alienate the right to receive payments
under the plan, in whole or in part.


SECTION 10.   OTHER BENEFIT PLANS

      This  plan  will  supersede any obligation to pay benefits to Mr. Kessel
under  the  excess  benefit  plan contained in the retirement plan or the TECO
Energy  Group  Supplemental  Executive Retirement Plan, as they may be amended
from  time  to  time.    No  benefits will be payable to Mr. Kessel under such
excess benefit plan or the TECO Energy Group Supplemental Executive Retirement
Plan.


SECTION 11.   AMENDMENT

      TECO  Energy  reserves  the  right at any time by action of the board to
amend  the  plan in any way.  However, no amendment of the plan may reduce the
benefits  to  be  paid  to Mr. Kessel or his surviving spouse below those that
would  have  been paid if the plan had continued without change to the date of
Mr. Kessel's retirement or termination of employment for any reason.


Executed as of January 15, 1997.

                                    TECO ENERGY, INC.


                                    By:                                 
                                        Roger A. Dunn
                                        V i ce  President  -  Human  Resources
      


                                    ROGER H. KESSEL


                                                                        








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