Exhibit 10

                            TECO ENERGY, INC.
                        1997 DIRECTOR EQUITY PLAN

                          Director Stock Option

     TECO  Energy, Inc. (the "Company") grants to ______________________
(the  "Optionee")  a  nonstatutory  stock  option  (the  "Option") dated
April  16,  1997  under  the  Company's  1997  Director Equity Plan (the
"Plan").    Capitalized  terms  not  otherwise  defined  herein have the
meanings given to them in the Plan.

     1.   Grant  of  Stock  Option.  Pursuant to the Plan and subject to
the  terms  and  conditions set forth in this Option, the Company hereby
grants to the Optionee the right and option to purchase from the Company
_________  shares of Common Stock at a price of $24.375 per share.  This
Option  may be exercised in whole or in part with respect to a number of
whole  shares,  at  any time and from time to time after the date hereof
and  prior  to  the  expiration  of  ten years from the date hereof (the
"Expiration Date"), except as otherwise provided herein.

     This  Option will not be treated as an incentive stock option under
Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

     2.   Exercise  and  Payment.  To exercise this Option, the Optionee
will  deliver  written notice to the Secretary of the Company specifying
the date of this Option, the number of shares as to which this Option is
being exercised, and a date not later than thirty days after the date of
delivery  of  the notice when the Optionee will take up and pay for such
shares.   On the date specified in such notice, the Company will deliver
to  the  Optionee  one  or  more  certificates  for the number of shares
purchased  against  payment  therefor.    Payment  may  be made in cash,
including  by  check,  or in shares of common stock valued at their fair
market  value  as  of the date of exercise determined as provided in the
Plan, or partly in cash and partly in common stock.

     3.   Termination of Option.

          (a)  Termination of Service.  In the event that the Optionee's
service  on  the  Board  of  Directors of the Company terminates for any
reason  other than disability or death, this Option will expire one year
after the termination but in no event after the Expiration Date.

          (b)  Disability  or  Death.   In the event that the Optionee's
service  on the Board of Directors terminates by reason of disability or
death, this Option will expire one year after the termination regardless
of  the Expiration Date.  The rights of the Optionee may be exercised by
the   Optionee's  guardian  or  legal  representative  in  the  case  of
disability  and by the beneficiary designated by the Optionee in writing
delivered to the Company or, if none has been designated, the Optionee's
estate in the case of death.

     4.   Adjustment  of  Terms.  In the event of corporate transactions
affecting  the  Company's  outstanding  Common  Stock,  the  Board  will
equitably  adjust  the  number and kind of shares subject to this Option
and the exercise price hereunder to the extent provided by the Plan.


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                                                              Exhibit 10

     5.   No  Transfer.  This Option will not be transferable other than
by  will or the laws of descent and distribution and will be exercisable
during  the  Optionee's  lifetime only by the Optionee or the Optionee's
guardian or legal representative.

     6.   Securities  Laws.   The purchase of any shares by the Optionee
upon  exercise of this Option will be subject to the conditions that (i)
the  Company may in its discretion require that a registration statement
under the Securities Act of 1933 with respect to the sale of such shares
to  the Optionee will be in effect, and such shares will be duly listed,
subject  to  notice of issuance, on any securities exchange on which the
Common  Stock  may  then  be  listed,  (ii) all such other action as the
Company  considers  necessary to comply with any law, rule or regulation
applicable  to  the  sale  of such shares to the Optionee will have been
taken  and  (iii)  the  Optionee will have made such representations and
agreements as the Company may require to comply with applicable law.

     7.   The  Board.    Any determination by the Board under, or inter-
pretation  of  the  terms  of, this Option or the Plan will be final and
binding on the Optionee.

     8.   Limitation  of  Rights.  The Optionee will have no rights as a
shareholder with respect to any shares subject to this Option until such
shares  are issued and delivered against payment therefor.  The Optionee
will have no right to be retained as a director of the Company by virtue
of this Option.

     9.   Amendment.    The  Board  may  amend, modify or terminate this
Option,  including substituting another Award of the same or a different
type  and changing the date of realization, provided that the Optionee's
consent  to  such action will be required unless the action, taking into
account any related action, would not adversely affect the Optionee.

     10.  G o verning  Law.    This  Option  will  be  governed  by  and
interpreted in accordance with the laws of Florida.


                                   TECO ENERGY, INC.




                                   By:  ______________________   











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