UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

(Mark One)

x QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2002.

OR

o TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from to .

Commission File Number 1-16297

TECO CAPITAL TRUST I
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

Delaware
(State of Incorporation
or Organization)
13-4164838
(IRS Employer
Identification No.)

c/o The Bank of New York
101 Barclay Street, 8th Floor
New York, New York
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)


10286
(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (212) 815-5088

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15 (d) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes x No o

The number of shares of the registrant’s common stock outstanding as of October 31, 2002 was 0.

Index to Exhibits Appears on Page 15

PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

ITEM 1.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

In the opinion of management, the unaudited financial statements include all adjustments that are of a recurring nature and necessary to present fairly the net assets available of TECO Capital Trust I as of September 30, 2002 and December 31, 2001, and the changes in net assets available for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2002 and 2001. Reference should be made to the explanatory notes affecting the net assets and changes in net assets contained in the TECO Capital Trust I Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2001 and to the notes on pages 6, 7 and 8 of this report.

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TECO CAPITAL TRUST I
STATEMENT OF NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR TRUST ACTIVITIES
(UNAUDITED)

	Sept. 30, 2002		Dec. 31, 2001
Assets
Cash	$	—	$	—
Dividends Receivable		2,833,333		2,927,778
Investment in Company Preferred Securities		200,000,000		200,000,000
Total Assets	$	202,833,333	$	202,927,778
Liabilities
Trust Preferred Securities Dividends Payable	$	2,833,333	$	2,927,778
Trust Preferred Securities		200,000,000		200,000,000
Total Liabilities	$	202,833,333	$	202,927,778
Net assets available for trust activities	$	—	$	—

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements

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TECO CAPITAL TRUST I
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR TRUST ACTIVITIES
(UNAUDITED)
For the three months ended September 30,

	2002			2001
Additions to net assets attributed to:
Company Preferred Security Dividend Income	$	4,250,000		$	4,250,000
		4,250,000			4,250,000
Deductions from net assets attributed to:
Trust Preferred Securities Dividends		(4,250,000	)		(4,250,000	)
		(4,250,000	)		(4,250,000	)
Changes in net assets available for trust activities		—			—
Net assets available for trust activities:
Beginning of period		—			—
End of period	$	—		$	—

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements

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TECO CAPITAL TRUST I
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR TRUST ACTIVITIES
(UNAUDITED)
For the nine months ended September 30,

	2002			2001
Additions to net assets attributed to:
Company Preferred Security Dividend Income	$	12,655,555		$	12,750,000
		12,655,555			12,750,000
Deductions from net assets attributed to:
Trust Preferred Securities Dividends		(12,655,555	)		(12,750,000	)
		(12,655,555	)		(12,750,000	)
Changes in net assets available for trust activities		—			—
Net assets available for trust activities:
Beginning of period		—			—
End of period	$	—		$	—

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements

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NOTES TO UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

A.       OVERVIEW

         TECO Capital Trust I (the “Trust”) is a statutory business trust that TECO Funding Company I, LLC (the “LLC”), a wholly owned subsidiary of TECO Energy, Inc. (“TECO Energy”), formed under Delaware law on November 20, 2000 pursuant to a certificate of trust filed with the Delaware Secretary of State. The Trust is governed by an Amended and Restated Trust Agreement dated as of December 1, 2000 by and among the LLC as depositor, by The Bank of New York as property trustee, and by The Bank of New York (Delaware) as Delaware trustee (the “Trust Agreement”). The Trust Agreement is qualified as an indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939. The Trust issued to the public 8,000,000 trust preferred securities at the annual distribution rate of 8.50%, with an aggregate liquidation amount of $200 million on December 20, 2000 for the purpose of acquiring related company preferred securities from the LLC. The trust preferred securities represent a corresponding amount of company preferred securities of the LLC. The Trust has minimal assets other than the company preferred securities. The Trust Agreement does not permit the Trust to engage in any activities other than holding the company preferred securities, issuing the trust preferred securities, and engaging in other related activities. The trust preferred securities began trading on the New York Stock Exchange on January 12, 2001.

         The LLC sold company preferred securities to the Trust and company common securities to TECO Energy. The LLC used the proceeds from the sale of the company preferred securities and the company common securities to buy from TECO Energy a series of 8.50% junior subordinated notes due January 31, 2041, with the same financial terms as the company preferred securities. TECO Energy has guaranteed payments to be made on the company preferred securities pursuant to a guarantee agreement. TECO Energy has indirectly guaranteed payments to be made to the holders of the trust preferred securities as a result of their beneficial interest in the company preferred securities.

         The cumulative cash distributions are subject to certain deferral provisions. TECO Energy can defer interest payments on the underlying junior subordinated notes for up to five years, but not beyond the maturity date on the junior subordinated notes of January 31, 2041. If TECO Energy defers interest payments on the junior subordinated notes, the Trust will defer distributions on the trust preferred securities. During any deferral period, distributions on the trust preferred securities will continue to accumulate quarterly at the annual rate of 8.5% of the stated liquidation amount.

         As long as the trust preferred securities remain outstanding, TECO Energy is required to maintain a 100% direct or indirect ownership in the company common securities issued by the LLC. TECO Energy was in compliance with this covenant at September 30, 2002.

B.       SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

BASIS OF PRESENTATION

         Additions to net assets, including dividend income, and deductions from net assets, including dividend distributions, are recognized on an accrual basis. Dividend distributions accumulated from the date the Trust issued the trust preferred securities and are payable quarterly in arrears on January 31, April 30, July 31 and October 31 of each year, beginning January 31, 2001.

INCOME TAXES

         The Trust is characterized for United States federal income tax purposes as a grantor trust and will not be taxed as a corporation. For income tax purposes, any income or losses from the Trust are

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passed through to the holders of the trust preferred securities. Therefore, no provision for income taxes has been included in the Trust’s financial statements.

C.       RELATED PARTIES

During each of the three month periods ended September 30, 2002 and 2001, the Trust recognized dividend income on the company preferred securities from the LLC of $4,250,000. During the nine month periods ended September 30, 2002 and 2001, the Trust recognized dividend income on the company preferred securities from the LLC of $12,655,555 and $12,750,000, respectively. The Trust also received dividend payments from the LLC during each of the three month periods ended September 30, 2002 and 2001 of $4,250,000. During the nine month periods ended September 30, 2002 and 2001, the Trust received dividend payments of $12,750,000 and $10,388,889, respectively.

D.       NEW ACCOUNTING STANDARDS

On June 30, 2001, the Financial Accounting Standards Board finalized FAS 141, Business Combinations, and FAS 142, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets. FAS 141 requires all business combinations initiated after June 30, 2001, to be accounted for using the purchase method of accounting. With the adoption of FAS 142 effective Jan. 1, 2002, goodwill is no longer subject to amortization. Rather, goodwill is now subject to at least an annual assessment for impairment by applying a fair-value-based test. Under the new rules, an acquired intangible asset should be separately recognized if the benefit of the intangible asset is obtained through contractual or other legal rights, or if the intangible asset can be sold, transferred, licensed, rented, or exchanged, regardless of the acquirer’s intent to do so. These intangible assets are required to be amortized over their useful lives. The adoption of FAS 141 and FAS 142 had no effect on the financial statements of the Trust, since the Trust has no pending business combinations, nor do the unaudited financial statements include any goodwill or other intangible assets.

In July 2001, the Financial Accounting Standards Board finalized FAS 143, Accounting for Asset Retirement Obligations, which requires the recognition of a liability for an asset retirement obligation in the period in which it is incurred. When the liability is initially recorded, the carrying amount of the related long-lived asset is correspondingly increased. Over time, the liability is accreted to its present value and the related capitalized charge is depreciated over the useful life of the asset. FAS 143 is effective for fiscal years beginning after June 15, 2002. The adoption of FAS 143 will have no effect on the financial statements of the Trust.

In August 2001, the Financial Accounting Standards Board finalized FAS 144, Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets. FAS 144 addresses accounting and reporting for the impairment or disposal of long-lived assets, including the disposal of a segment of business. FAS 144 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2001. The adoption of FAS 144 had no effect on the financial statements of the Trust.

In April 2002, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued FAS 145, Rescission of FASB Statements No. 4, 44, and 64, Amendment of FASB Statement No. 13, and Technical Corrections. In addition to rescinding the aforementioned statements, FAS 145 also amends FAS 13, Accounting for Leases, to eliminate an inconsistency between the required accounting for sale-leaseback transactions and the required accounting for certain lease modifications that have economic effects that are similar to sale-leaseback transactions. This statement also amends other existing authoritative pronouncements to make

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various technical corrections, clarify meanings, or describe their applicability under changed conditions. FAS 145 was adopted in the second quarter of 2002. The adoption of FAS 145 had no effect on the financial statements of the Trust.

In July 2002, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued FAS 146, Accounting for Exit or Disposal Activities, which addresses the accounting for costs associated with a disposal activity, including costs to terminate a contract that is not a capital lease, costs to consolidate facilities or relocate employees, and termination benefits provided to employees that are involuntarily terminated under the terms of a one-time benefit arrangement that is not an ongoing benefit arrangement or an individual deferred compensation contract. FAS 146 is effective for disposal activities initiated after December 31, 2002. The adoption of FAS 146 will have no effect on the financial statements of the Trust.

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ITEM 2.

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATION FOR THE QUARTER ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2002.

TECO Capital Trust I was formed on November 20, 2000 and issued to the public 8,000,000 of its trust preferred securities for an aggregate purchase price of $200,000,000 on December 20, 2000. The proceeds from the issuance were remitted to the LLC in exchange for 8,000,000 company preferred securities for an aggregate purchase price of $200,000,000. TECO Energy, Inc. purchased all of the company common securities of the LLC for an aggregate purchase price of $6,200,000. The LLC remitted the proceeds from the issuance of both its company common securities and company preferred securities to TECO Energy, Inc. in exchange for $206,200,000 aggregate principal amount of 8.50% Junior Subordinated Notes Due 2041 of TECO Energy, Inc., dated December 20, 2000, and bearing interest and maturing on the dates and in the amounts set forth in the Indenture, dated as of August 17, 1998, by and between the Company and The Bank of New York, as Trustee, as supplemented by the Third Supplemental Indenture, dated as of December 1, 2000.

The trust preferred securities represent undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust, which consist of a corresponding amount of the company preferred securities. Distributions on the company preferred securities are passed on to the holders of the trust preferred securities. The Trust is required to make distributions on the trust preferred securities concurrently with, and in the same amount as, the distributions on the company preferred securities. Distributions on the company preferred securities are cumulative and accumulate from the date they are first issued at the annual rate of 8.50% of the $25 per company preferred security liquidation preference. Distributions are payable quarterly in arrears on January 31, April 30, July 31 and October 31 of each year. Distributions on the company preferred securities were made on January 31, 2001 in the amount of $1,888,889 and on April 30, 2001, July 31, 2001, October 31, 2001, January 31, 2002, April 30, 2002 and July 31, 2002 each in the amount of $4,250,000, all of which were subsequently distributed by the Trust to the holders of the trust preferred securities.

The trust preferred securities began trading on the New York Stock Exchange on January 12, 2001.

TECO Energy, Inc. owns all of the company common securities of the LLC, which, unless an event of default has occurred and is continuing with respect to the junior subordinated notes, represent 100 percent of the voting rights in the LLC. The LLC is managed by a board of directors who are designated as “managers” of the LLC within the meaning of Delaware law. The directors will serve until their successors are duly elected and qualified. The directors may appoint officers of the limited liability company from time to time to manage the day-to-day affairs of the limited liability company. All voting rights in the LLC are vested in TECO Energy, Inc. as the sole holder of the company common securities, including the right to elect the board of directors.

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ITEM 3.

QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

On December 20, 2000, the Trust purchased 8,000,000 company preferred securities of the LLC with an annual distribution rate of 8.50% for an aggregate purchase price of $200,000,000. TECO Energy has guaranteed all payments to be made on the company preferred securities. There is no public market for these company preferred securities.

ITEM 4.

CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

(a)

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures. TECO Energy, Inc. (the Company) is designated to make compliance filings on behalf of the Trust. The Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have evaluated the effectiveness of the Trust’s disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-14(c) and 15d-14(c) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of this quarterly report (the “Evaluation Date”). Based on such evaluation, such officers have concluded that, as of the Evaluation Date, the Trust’s disclosure controls and procedures are effective in alerting them on a timely basis to material information relating to the Trust required to be included in the Trust reports filed or submitted under the Exchange Act.

(b)

Changes in Internal Controls. Since the Evaluation Date, there have not been any significant changes in the Trust’s internal controls or in other factors that could significantly affect such controls.

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PART II. OTHER INFORMATION

ITEM 6.

EXHIBITS AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K

         (a)      Exhibits

3	Amended and Restated Trust Agreement of TECO Capital Trust I dated as of December 1, 2000. Filed as Exhibit 4.22 to the Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 1-08180) filed by TECO Energy, Inc. on December 21, 2000 and incorporated herein by reference.
99.1	The consolidated financial statements of TECO Energy, Inc. and its subsidiaries included in Item 1 of TECO Energy Inc.’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Filed as Item 1 to TECO Energy, Inc.’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2002 filed on November 14, 2002 (File No. 1-8180) and incorporated herein by reference.

         (b)      Reports on Form 8-K filed during the reporting period

None

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SIGNATURE

         Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

	TECO CAPITAL TRUST I By: TECO Energy, Inc. as designated signatory
Date:  November 14, 2002	/s/ GORDON L. GILLETTE
	Name: Gordon L. Gillette Title: Principal Financial Officer

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CERTIFICATIONS

I, Robert D. Fagan, certify that:

1.	I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of TECO Capital Trust I.
2.	Based on my knowledge, this quarterly report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this quarterly report;
3.	Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this quarterly report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this quarterly report;
4.	The registrant’s other certifying officers and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14) for the registrant and we have:

a)	designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this quarterly report is being prepared;
b)	evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of this quarterly report (the “Evaluation Date”); and
c)	presented in this quarterly report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on our evaluation as of the Evaluation Date;

5. The registrant’s other certifying officers and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent function):

a)	all significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal controls which could adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data and have identified for the registrant’s auditors any material weaknesses in internal controls; and
b)	any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal controls; and

6. The registrant’s other certifying officers and I have indicated in this quarterly report whether or not there were significant changes in internal controls or in other factors that could significantly affect internal controls subsequent to the date of our most recent evaluation, including any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.

Date:  November 14, 2002	*By:	/s/ R. D. FAGAN
		R. D. FAGAN Chairman of the Board, President, Director and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) of TECO Energy, Inc.

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CERTIFICATIONS

I, Gordon L. Gillette, certify that:

1.	I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of TECO Capital Trust I.
2.	Based on my knowledge, this quarterly report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this quarterly report;
3.	Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this quarterly report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this quarterly report;
4.	The registrant’s other certifying officers and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14) for the registrant and we have:

a)	designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this quarterly report is being prepared;
b)	evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of this quarterly report (the “Evaluation Date”); and
c)	presented in this quarterly report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on our evaluation as of the Evaluation Date;

5. The registrant’s other certifying officers and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent function):

a)	all significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal controls which could adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data and have identified for the registrant’s auditors any material weaknesses in internal controls; and
b)	any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal controls; and

6. The registrant’s other certifying officers and I have indicated in this quarterly report whether or not there were significant changes in internal controls or in other factors that could significantly affect internal controls subsequent to the date of our most recent evaluation, including any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.

Date:  November 14, 2002	*By:	/s/ G. L. GILLETTE
		G. L. GILLETTE Senior Vice President – Finance and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer) of TECO Energy, Inc.

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EXHIBIT INDEX

3	Amended and Restated Trust Agreement of TECO Capital Trust I dated as of December 1, 2000. Filed as Exhibit 4.22 to the Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 1-08180) filed by TECO Energy, Inc. on December 21, 2000 and incorporated herein by reference.
99.1	The consolidated financial statements of TECO Energy, Inc. and its subsidiaries included in Item 1 of TECO Energy Inc.’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Filed as Item 1 to TECO Energy, Inc.’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2002 filed on November 14, 2002 (File No. 1-8180) and incorporated herein by reference.

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