FORM 10-Q

                                                            Exhibit 12



                        TAMPA ELECTRIC COMPANY

                  RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES



     The following table sets forth the company's ratio of earnings to

fixed charges for the periods indicated.


  Nine Months   Twelve Months
     Ended          Ended              Year Ended December 31,(1)     
Sept. 30, 1997  Sept. 30, 1997     1996   1995   1994(2) 1993(3) 1992

    4.78x           4.59x         4.40x  4.28x    3.88x   3.81x   3.92x


     For  the  purposes of calculating this ratio, earnings consist of

income  before  income taxes and fixed charges.  Fixed charges consist

of  interest  on  indebtedness,  amortization  of  debt  premium,  the

i n t e r est  component  of  rentals  and  preferred  stock  dividend

requirements.

                                                                     

(1)  Prior  year  amounts  have been restated to reflect the merger of
     Peoples Gas System, Inc. with and into Tampa Electric Company.

(2)  Includes  the  effect  of  a  $21.3-million  pretax restructuring
     charge.    The  effect  of this charge was to reduce the ratio of
     earnings  to  fixed  charges.  Had this non-recurring charge been
     excluded  from  the  calculation,  the ratio of earnings to fixed
     charges would have been 4.23x for the period ended Dec. 31, 1994.

(3)  Includes  the  effect  of  the  non-recurring  $10-million pretax
     charge  associated  with a coal pricing settlement. The effect of
     this charge was to reduce the ratio of earnings to fixed charges.
     Had this non-recurring charge been excluded from the calculation,
     the  ratio of earnings to fixed charges would have been 3.97x for
     the year ended Dec. 31, 1993.





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