-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 L7cF1l5fNOn6By+MEctPydt4D4MViJOjawHANrn0BV5KPDyEqZrtP+NNmRrbPFk3
 pDyZv5FDSAF0Gzc+n4WBrw==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000914121-09-000332.txt : 20090129
<SEC-HEADER>0000914121-09-000332.hdr.sgml : 20090129
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20090129204658
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000914121-09-000332
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	3/A
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20081231
FILED AS OF DATE:		20090129
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20090129

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			TORTOISE ENERGY CAPITAL CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001319869
		IRS NUMBER:				000000000
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			MD
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1130

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		11550 ASH STREET, SUITE 300
		CITY:			LEAWOOD
		STATE:			KS
		ZIP:			66211
		BUSINESS PHONE:		913-981-1020

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		11550 ASH STREET, SUITE 300
		CITY:			LEAWOOD
		STATE:			KS
		ZIP:			66211

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	Tortoise MLP Investment CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	20050304

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INC.
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000728612
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SECURITY BROKERS, DEALERS & FLOTATION COMPANIES [6211]
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		3/A
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	811-21725
		FILM NUMBER:		09555835

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		4 WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER
		STREET 2:		NORTH TOWER
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10080
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2126702273

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		4 WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER
		STREET 2:		NORTH TOWER
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10080

	FORMER NAME:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	MERRILL LYNCH PIERCE FENNER & SMITH INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19920929

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			MERRILL LYNCH & CO., INC.
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000065100
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SECURITY BROKERS, DEALERS & FLOTATION COMPANIES [6211]
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		3/A
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	811-21725
		FILM NUMBER:		09555834

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		4 WORLD FINANCIAL CTR
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10080
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2124491000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		4 WORLD FINANCIAL CTR
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10080

	FORMER NAME:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	MERRILL LYNCH & CO INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19920703
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>3/A
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>p15116949-3a_ex.xml
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0203</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-12-31</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2009-01-12</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001319869</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>TORTOISE ENERGY CAPITAL CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>TYY</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000065100</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MERRILL LYNCH &amp; CO., INC.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>4 WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10080</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000728612</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER &amp; SMITH INC.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>4 WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>NORTH TOWER</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10080</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Auction Rate Preferred</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>245</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote.</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>22650</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote.</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The preferred shares reported on this Form 3 are subject to repurchase under the terms of Merrill Lynch &amp; Co.'s
 (&quot;MLCO&quot;) settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the &quot;Commission&quot;), et alia, with
 respect to certain auction rate securities (&quot;Subject Securities&quot;) sold by MLCO and/or held by customers in
 accounts at MLCO. The repurchases of the Subject Securities by MLCO, and the reporting of its holdings of such Subject
 Securities by MLCO, are being made in reliance on the Auction Rate Securities-Global Relief Letter issued by the
 Commission on September 22, 2008 (the &quot;Relief Letter&quot;). In reliance on the Relief Letter, we are reporting our
 holdings of each series of preferred stock of the issuer on a consolidated basis as a single class of securities.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">In further reliance on the Relief Letter, we will not file Forms 4 to report changes in our beneficial ownership of the
 issuer's preferred stock. However, in compliance with the terms of the Relief Letter, we hereby undertake to provide upon
 request by the Commission, the issuer or a security holder of the issuer, complete information regarding the number of
 equity securities of the issuer purchased or sold at each different price and date of all transactions in such securities
 that occurred after we became a 10% owner but prior to the date of this filing.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Merrill Lynch &amp; Co., Inc. indirectly through its wholly-owned subsidiary Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner &amp; Smith
 Incorporated owns 245 shares of the issuer's preferred stock and 22,650 shares of the issuer's common stock.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Merrill Lynch &amp; Co., Inc., By: /s/ Pia Thompson, Assistant Secretary</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-01-29</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner &amp; Smith, Inc., By: /s/ Pia Thompson, Assistant Secretary</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-01-29</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----