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                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.3


CUSIP NO.: 875127AS1                             PRINCIPAL AMOUNT:  $250,000,000

REGISTERED NO.: 1

                             TAMPA ELECTRIC COMPANY

                              6.875% Notes Due 2012

[X]      Check this box if the Note is a Global Note.
         Applicable if the Note is a Global Note:

UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE
DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION, TO THE ISSUER OR ITS AGENT FOR
REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS
REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN
AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (AND ANY PAYMENT IS
MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER
USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS
THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.

         This Note is a Global Security within the meaning of the Indenture
hereinafter referred to and is registered in the name of Cede & Co., or such
other nominee of The Depository Trust Company, a New York corporation, or any
successor depositary ("Depositary"), as requested by an authorized
representative of the Depositary. This Note is exchangeable for Notes registered
in the name of a person other than the Depositary or its nominee only in the
limited circumstances described in the Indenture and may not be transferred
except as a whole by the Depositary to a nominee of the Depositary or by a
nominee of the Depositary to the Depositary or another nominee of the
Depositary.

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<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

<S>                                      <C>                                    <C>
ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE:                     INTEREST PAYMENT DATES: June 15 and    SINKING FUND:  N/A
June 25, 2001                            December 15 of each year, up to but
                                         excluding June 15, 2012, commencing    YIELD TO MATURITY:  N/A
ISSUE PRICE:  99.578% (as a percentage   December 15, 2001.
of principal amount)                                                            REDEMPTION:  Redeemable in whole or
                                         SPECIFIED CURRENCY:  U.S. dollars      in part, at the Company's option,
STATED MATURITY:  June 15, 2012          (if other than U.S. dollars):  N/A     from time to time at the redemption
                                                                                prices described on the reverse of
INTEREST RATE:  To but excluding         AUTHORIZED DENOMINATIONS:  N/A         this Note.
June 15, 2012, 6.875% per annum.         (Only applicable if Specified
                                         Currency is other than U.S. dollars)   REMARKETING PROVISIONS: N/A

                                                                                DEPOSITARY:  The Depository Trust
                                                                                Company
</TABLE>

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         TAMPA ELECTRIC COMPANY, a corporation duly organized and existing under
the laws of the State of Florida (herein called the "COMPANY," which term
includes any successor Corporation under the Indenture hereinafter referred to),
for value received, hereby promises to pay to CEDE & CO., or registered assigns,
the principal sum set forth on the face of this Note on the Stated Maturity,
upon the presentation and surrender hereof at the principal corporate trust
office of The Bank of New York, or its successor in trust (the "TRUSTEE") or
such other office as the Trustee has designated in writing, and to pay interest
on the unpaid principal balance hereof at a rate per annum (computed based on a
360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) equal to the Interest Rate set
forth on the face of this Note for the period from the Original Issue Date to,
but excluding, the Stated Maturity.

         Interest will be payable on the Interest Payment Dates to the Person in
whose name this Note is registered at the close of business on the related
Record Date, which is the fifteenth calendar day (whether or not a Business Day)
immediately preceding the related Interest Payment Date. In each case, payments
shall be made in accordance with the provisions hereof, until the principal
hereof is paid or duly made available for payment.

         Interest on this Note will be computed on the basis of a year of 360
days consisting of twelve 30-day months. Except for the effect of any adjustment
in the Interest Payment Date as provided in the following sentence, the amount
of interest payable for any period shorter than a full six-month period for
which interest is computed, will be computed on the basis of the actual number
of days elapsed in such a 180-day period. If any Interest Payment Date would
otherwise be a day that is not a Business Day, such Interest Payment Date will
be postponed to the next succeeding Business Day, and no interest will accrue on
such payment for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date to the
date of such payment on the next succeeding Business Day, except that, if such
Business Day is in the next succeeding calendar year, such payment shall be made
on the immediately preceding Business Day, in each case with the same force and
effect as if made on such date.

         Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and any such interest
on this Note shall be made in immediately available funds at the office or
agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in the City of New York in the
State of New York, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as
at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts.

         Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Note set
forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes
have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

         Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by
the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual signature, this Note
shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or
obligatory for any purpose.

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         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, TAMPA ELECTRIC COMPANY has caused this instrument
to be duly executed.



Dated:  June 25, 2001



TRUSTEE'S CERTIFICATE                       TAMPA ELECTRIC COMPANY
OF AUTHENTICATION

This is one of the series
designated therein referred                 By: /s/ Gordon L. Gillette
to in the within-mentioned                      --------------------------------
Indenture.                                      Name:  Gordon L. Gillette
                                                Title: Sr. Vice President -
                                                Finance, Chief Financial Officer
THE BANK OF NEW YORK,
as Authenticating Agent for the Trustee




By: /s/ James Hall
    -----------------------------------
    Authorized signatory


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                                (REVERSE OF NOTE)

                             TAMPA ELECTRIC COMPANY

                              6.875% Notes Due 2012

         This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the
Company (herein called the "NOTES"), issued and to be issued under an Indenture
dated as of July 1, 1998, as supplemented by the Third Supplemental Indenture,
dated as of June 15, 2001 (as such has been or shall be amended or supplemented,
the "INDENTURE"), between the Company and The Bank of New York, as trustee (the
"TRUSTEE", which term includes any successor Trustee under the Indenture), to
which Indenture reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective
rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company,
the Trustee and the Holders of the Notes and of the terms upon which the Notes
are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. This Note is one of the
securities of the series designated on the face hereof, limited in aggregate
principal amount to $250,000,000.

                                   DEFINITIONS

         The following terms, as used herein, have the following meanings unless
the context or use clearly indicates another or different meaning or intent:

         "ADJUSTED TREASURY RATE" means, with respect to any redemption date:

         (i)  the yield, under the heading which represents the average for the
              immediately preceding week, appearing in the most recently
              published statistical release designated "H.15(519)" or any
              successor publication which is published weekly by the Board of
              Governors of the Federal Reserve System and which establishes
              yields on actively traded United States Treasury securities
              adjusted to constant maturity under the caption "Treasury Constant
              Maturities," for the maturity corresponding to the Comparable
              Treasury Issue (if no maturity is within three months before or
              after the Remaining Life, as defined below, yields for the two
              published maturities most closely corresponding to the Comparable
              Treasury Issue will be determined and the Adjusted Treasury Rate
              will be interpolated or extrapolated from such yields on a
              straight line basis, rounding to the nearest month); or

         (ii) if such release (or any successor release) is not published during
              the week preceding the calculation date or does not contain such
              yields, the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent
              yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue, calculated
              using a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a
              percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable
              Treasury Price for such redemption date.

The Adjusted Treasury Rate will be calculated on the third Business Day
preceding the redemption date.

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         "BUSINESS DAY" shall mean any day other than a Saturday or Sunday that
is neither a legal holiday nor a day on which banking institutions are
authorized or required by law or regulations to close in the City of New York.

         "COMPARABLE TREASURY ISSUE" means the United States Treasury security
selected by an Independent Investment Banker as having a maturity comparable to
the remaining term of the Notes to be redeemed that would be used, at the time
of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new
issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term
of such Notes (the "REMAINING LIFE").

         "COMPARABLE TREASURY PRICE" means (1) the average of five Reference
Treasury Dealer Quotations for such redemption date, after excluding the highest
and lowest Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or (2) if the Independent
Investment Banker obtains fewer than five such Reference Treasury Dealer
Quotations, the average of all such quotations.

         "DEPOSITARY" shall mean The Depository Trust Company or any successor
depositary.

         "INDEPENDENT INVESTMENT BANKER" means Banc of America Securities LLC
and its successors, or if that firm is unwilling or unable to serve as such, an
independent investment and banking institution of national standing appointed by
the Company.

         "INTEREST PAYMENT DATE" shall mean the date on which interest on this
Note is paid, which date(s) are set forth on the face of this Note.

         "REFERENCE TREASURY DEALER" means:

         (i)   Banc of America Securities LLC and its successors; provided
               that, if Banc of America Securities LLC ceases to be a primary
               U.S. Government securities dealer in New York City (Primary
               Treasury Dealer), the Company will substitute another Primary
               Treasury Dealer; and

         (ii)  up to four other Primary Treasury Dealers selected by the
               Company.

         "REFERENCE TREASURY DEALER QUOTATIONS" means, with respect to each
Reference Treasury Dealer and any redemption date, the average, as determined by
the Independent Investment Banker, of the bid and asked prices for the
Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its
principal amount) quoted in writing to the Independent Investment Banker at 5:00
p.m., New York City time, on the third Business Day preceding such redemption
date.

                                  INTEREST RATE

         This Note will bear interest at the rate per annum (computed based on a
360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) identified on the face of this
Note. Except for the effect of any adjustment in the Interest Payment Date as
provided in the following sentence, the amount of interest payable for any
period shorter than a full six-month period for which interest is computed, will
be computed on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed in such a 180-day
period. If any Interest Payment Date would otherwise be a day that is not a
Business Day, such Interest Payment Date will be postponed to the next
succeeding Business Day, and no interest

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will accrue on such payment for the period from and after such Interest Payment
Date to the date of such payment on the next succeeding Business Day, except
that, if such Business Day is in the next succeeding calendar year, such payment
shall be made on the immediately preceding Business Day, in each case with the
same force and effect as if made on such date.

                               OPTIONAL REDEMPTION

         The Notes are subject to redemption, in whole or in part, at any time,
and at the option of the Company, at a redemption price equal to the greater of:

           (i)    100% of the principal amount of Notes then outstanding to be
                  redeemed, or

           (ii)   the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled
                  payments of principal and interest on the Notes then
                  outstanding to be redeemed (not including any portion of such
                  payments of interest accrued as of the redemption date)
                  discounted to the redemption date on a semiannual basis
                  (computed based on a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day
                  months) at the Adjusted Treasury Rate, plus 25 basis points
                  (0.25%), as calculated by an Independent Investment Banker,

plus, in both of the above cases, accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the
redemption date.

         The Company will mail a notice of redemption at least 30 days but no
more than 60 days before the redemption date to each holder of Notes to be
redeemed. If the Company elects to partially redeem the Notes, the Trustee will
select in a fair and appropriate manner the Notes to be redeemed.

         Unless the Company defaults in payment of the redemption price, on and
after the redemption date, interest will cease to accrue on the Notes or
portions thereof called for redemption.

         The Notes are not entitled to the benefit of any sinking fund or
analogous provision.

                              TRANSFER OR EXCHANGE

         As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein
set forth, the transfer of this Note is registerable in the Security Register,
upon surrender of this Note for registration of transfer at the office or agency
of the Company in any place where the principal of (and premium, if any) and
interest on this Note are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written
instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security
Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in
writing, and thereupon one or more new Notes of this series and of like tenor,
of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be
issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

         The Notes are issuable only in registered form without coupons and,
except for such Notes issued in book-entry form, only in denominations of $1,000
and any integral multiple of $1,000. As provided in the Indenture and subject to
certain limitations therein set forth, this


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Note is exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Notes of this
series and of like tenor of a different authorized denomination, as requested
by the Holder surrendering the same.

         No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer
or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover
any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

         Prior to due presentment of this Note for registration of transfer, the
Company or the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the
Person in whose name this Note is registered as the owner hereof for all
purposes, whether or not this Note be overdue, and neither the Company, the
Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.


                                OTHER PROVISIONS

         The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the
amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the
Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series to be
affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the
consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities at
the time Outstanding of each series to be affected and of the Holders of 66 2/3%
in principal amount of the Securities at the time Outstanding of all series to
be affected. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of
specified percentages in principal amount of the Securities of each series at
the time Outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of such series,
to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture and
certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. To the extent
permitted by law, any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Note shall be
conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Note
and of any Note issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange
hereof or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is
made upon this Note.

         No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Note or
of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is
absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of (and premium, if any) and
interest on this Note at the times, place and rate, and in the coin or currency,
herein prescribed.

         All terms used in this Note which are defined in the Indenture shall
have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

         This Note shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the
laws of The State of New York.

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ABBREVIATIONS

         The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face
of this instrument, shall be construed as though they were written out in full
according to applicable laws or regulations:

  TEN COM -- as tenants in common UNIF GIFT MIN ACT--______ CUSTODIAN_____
  TEN ENT -- as tenants by the entireties              (Cust)         (Minor)
  JT TEN  -- as joint tenants with right of survivorship Under Uniform Gifts to
             Minors Act and not as  tenants in common __________________________
                                                              (State)

         Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.

         FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sell(s), assign(s) and
  transfer(s) unto

  Please Insert Social Security or
  Other Identifying Number of Assignee

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

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


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


  PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS INCLUDING POSTAL ZIP CODE OF
  ASSIGNEE

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


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


  the within Security of TAMPA ELECTRIC COMPANY and does hereby irrevocably

  constitute and appoint __________________________________________________

  attorney to transfer said Security on the books of the Company, with full

  power of substitution in the premises.

  Dated:
        ------------------------            ------------------------------------

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


  NOTICE: The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as
  written upon the face of the within instrument in every particular, without
  alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.


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