Congratulations on your retirement, and welcome to the TVARA. Upon departure from TVA, each retiree is automatically awarded membership in TVARA through a prepaid dues arrangement between TVARA and TVA. Depending on when in the year you retire, your dues are paid for at least the remainder of the year. If you retired from TVA during the current calendar year between January 1 and June 30, your dues are paid for by TVA for the remainder of the calendar year in which you retired. If you retired between July 1 and December 31, your dues are paid by TVA for up to 18 months.

For example, if your retirement date is January 9, 2023, TVA pays your dues through December 31, 2023. You will receive an invoice to renew your membership effective January 1, 2024. If your retirement date is November 12, 2023, TVA pays your dues through December 31, 2024. You will receive an invoice to renew your membership effective January 1, 2025.

To renew your dues for next year and/or future years, please click on the Choose Payment Method button below for more information on how to pay your dues.

You will receive our quarterly (March, June, September, and December) newsletter by mail or email. If possible, please plan to attend your quarterly chapter meetings. You will receive more information about your chapter meeting in the newsletter.

A person can become a member of the TVARA if they are retired from TVA, a Civil Service Retiree, or an active employee whose combined age and years of service total 80. Spouses of eligible retirees and employees can become TVARA members.

If you have not paid your membership dues for some time and wish to rejoin, the annual membership dues are $15.  Please click on Choose Payment Method button below for more information on how to pay your dues.

The TVA Retirees Association (TVARA) is the official organization of all TVA retirees. With thousands of active members, TVARA can speak with strength on matters that affect you.

A member can be a Retired TVA employee, Civil Service retiree, or active employee whose combined age and years of service total 80. Spouses of eligible retirees and employees can become TVARA members.

The Valley-wide TVARA has been in place since 1967. Currently, there are thousands of active members associated with 19 chapters. The TVARA is governed by its bylaws that outline its organization and function. The group is managed by its Board of Directors. The Board comprises valley-wide officers (President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and immediate past President) and Presidents from each of the chapters.

The TVA Retirement System, established in 1939, is a separate legal entity from TVA and is administered by a seven-member Board of Directors (TVARS Board). The TVA Retirement System is a defined benefit plan covering employees. They are also responsible for administrating the TVA Savings and Deferral Retirement Plan (401K). They manage the pension trust. The Retirement System manages the day-to-day functions and carries out the directions issued by the TVARS Board.

An independent Board of directors governs TVARA and maintains a close working relationship with the Retirement System Board and TVA management. It is a dues-paying organization.

There are many, many good reasons to join the TVARA!  Here are a few reasons why being a member of TVARA is important to you.

• To protect your interest.   TVARA represents your interest to TVA on matters that concern you most – health insurance and pension benefits. TVARA maintains a close working relationship with the Retirement System Board and TVA management. Together, we find solutions to problems identified by retirees.
• To keep you informed.  TVARA works closely with TVA to identify the best ways to keep retirees informed of changes in health insurance and pension benefits.  TVARA also informs retirees through its quarterly publication, the TVARA News.
• To stay in touch. The TVARA consists of 19 chapters. The chapters meet quarterly to inform you and allow you to network with fellow retirees. The chapters can flourish if new retirees like you join and infuse your ideas and energy into the organization. There are many volunteer opportunities in each chapter as well.

TVARA provides a strong voice to support retiree interests in the operation of the TVA Retirement System, which manages an estimated 8.1 billion in assets held in trust for all participants in the system.  TVARA works closely with TVA and others on designing and operating retiree medical and drug insurance programs and services.  We also provide information to help retirees take charge of their health and make informed decisions about healthcare needs. TVARA speaks out on medical and retirement issues and on issues facing TVA that would affect retirees.

There is also strength in numbers.  More than 21,000 retirees or beneficiaries are on the current Retirement System payroll.  We are proud to have a membership of thousands of members.  Even though our percentage of dues-paying members is higher than almost any company or organization, there is still work to get the others active and involved.  Increased active membership can strengthen our effectiveness as we speak out in local, regional, national, and TVA forums on your behalf.

The annual dues are $15, which covers a member’s dues from January to December. Upon departure from TVA, each retiree is automatically awarded membership in TVARA through a prepaid dues arrangement between TVARA and TVA.  Depending on when in the year you retire, your dues are paid for at least the remainder of the year.  If you retired from TVA during the current calendar year between January 1 and June 30, your dues are paid for by TVA for the remainder of the calendar year in which you retired.  If you retired between July 1 and December 31, your dues are paid by TVA for up to 18 months.

For example, if your retirement date is January 9, 2023, TVA pays your dues through December 31, 2023.  You will be asked to renew your membership effective January 1, 2024.  If your retirement date is November 12, 2023, TVA pays your dues through December 31, 2024.  You will be asked to renew your membership effective January 1, 2025.

Otherwise, if eligible, you can write a $15 check or money order made payable to the TVARA and mail to the following address:

TVARA
400 West Summit Hill Drive
WT8C-K
Knoxville, Tennessee 37902

You may also join by attending a local chapter meeting and paying your dues at the chapter meeting.

The annual dues are payable each January.

Simply send an email to tvaravw@tva.gov with your name, address, and email address.  Or, you may call (865) 632-3318 and leave a message with your name address and phone number.

There are 19 chapters located in the valley.  You are assigned a chapter based on your zip code. If you want to belong to another chapter, email tvaravw@tva.gov with your name and email address.  Or you may call (865) 632-3318 and leave a message again with your name, address, AND phone number.

No.  Each chapter plans and carries out its activities based on the needs and resources of the chapter, its constituents, and the community.  However, there may be periods when the only planned activity is the quarterly meeting.  The chapter always looks for volunteer opportunities for special projects in your community that are often accomplished jointly with TVA staff.

The best way to learn about local chapter activities is to contact one of the officers from the chapter you are interested in.  See the organization link for chapter officers.  Or you can visit our calendar link and look for events for the particular chapter.  And lastly, you can send an email to us at tvaravw@tva.gov.

You may email us at tvaravw@tva.gov  or call our office at (865) 632-3318.  We will attempt to answer your question, help put you in contact with the right person, or get the requested information to you.

TVARA relies on members who give their time to accomplish the organization’s mission.  We always need interested participants at the valley-wide, chapter, and local community levels.  Please email us your contact information, and we will follow up.  Also, inform your local chapter about your interest.

Yes.  Each chapter has its committees based on their specific interests and needs. There are also committees at the valley-wide level that would welcome individuals willing to share their ideas and work on the team.  If you want to discover more about these committees, contact one of your local chapter officers or email us at tvaravw@tva.gov, outlining your interest.

The best way to learn about TVARA-sponsored volunteer activities is to frequent this website.  Other ways include attending chapter meetings or simply asking your fellow chapter members.

The TVARA does not necessarily know about TVA-sponsored volunteer activities.  Visiting the TVA website, www.tva.gov, or the BVI website, www.mybvi.org, would be good places to start.

The best place to turn in a suggestion for a new sponsored activity is your local chapter officers.  Or you may email us at the valley-wide email address of tvaravw@tva.gov.

TVARA and BVI are retiree organizations working closely together but with different missions.  TVARA, established in 1967, advocates for the interest of all retirees and their beneficiaries.  This includes speaking with one voice and providing information to our constituents on health care, social security, and other issues affecting retirees.  We also advocate and inform the public of the many great programs TVA offers.

BVI was established in 1975 to tap the collective energies and talents of TVA’s huge retiree population. That mission continues today.   Over the years, BVI has grown and expanded to include three major areas of activity:

Volunteer work – providing service to TVA and other institutions

TVA contract work – providing TVA with short-term staff augmentation

FEMA work – providing trained emergency assistance to the Federal Emergency Management Agency