KNOXVILLE, Tenn. ― Tennessee Valley Authority and the Trades and Labor Council for Annual Employees announced Monday they are extending their strong partnership to a historic level to help keep low-cost, reliable energy flowing to more than 10 million residents of the Tennessee Valley.

Highly skilled workers represented by the council’s six unions perform essential jobs that keep TVA power facilities and one of the nation’s largest electric grids running 24/7, every day of the year.

The recognition agreement is a self-renewing agreement that provides for periods of 10 years. The signing which took place on Thursday, Aug. 20, will renew the April 19, 1992, agreement and extend it through April 29, 2032.

“The workers represented by the TVA Trades and Labor Council are the backbone of TVA and our ability to serve the people of the Tennessee Valley,” said Jeff Lyash, TVA president and CEO. “The work of these employees enables TVA to keep power costs low and to deliver energy to customers across our seven-state region with 99.999% reliability.”

”We’ve intentionally worked to build a stronger and more positive relationship – one built on mutual respect and a desire to excel in the services we provide,” said Dave Beckler, administrator of the Trades and Labor Council for Annual Employees of TVA. “Signing this agreement allows us to move and grow our mutually beneficial relationship for years to come.”

TVA and the council are not only extending their recurring five-year agreement that recognizes the council as representing TVA’s craft employees, they are also extending the agreement to a historic 10-year, recurring term, further solidifying the strong relationship between the unions and TVA.

“This extension is a testament of TVA’s commitment to the trades and labor leadership and employees,” Lyash said. “This renewal and extension allows us to build on the foundation of eight decades of success and starts the next chapter in our history.”

The council consists of IBEW, Machinists, Boilermakers, UA Steamfitters, Laborers and Operating Engineers.

The Tennessee Valley Authority is a corporate agency of the United States that provides electricity for business customers and local power companies serving nearly 10 million people in parts of seven southeastern states. TVA receives no taxpayer funding, deriving virtually all of its revenues from sales of electricity. In addition to operating and investing its revenues in its electric system, TVA provides flood control, navigation and land management for the Tennessee River system and assists local power companies and state and local governments with economic development and job creation.