TVA has a new East Tennessee leader, and he's stationed in Knoxville now

Daniel Dassow, Knoxville News Sentinel
Updated ·2 min read

Bert Robinson is a people person, and he's been intrigued by the Tennessee Valley Authority since he watched the cooling towers of Watts Bar Nuclear Plant as a kid.

The combination makes him ideal for his latest job at TVA. After 16 years at the federal utility, Robinson became executive leader of TVA's East Region on April 8. In the role, he will oversee relationships with TVA customers, community partners and elected officials across East Tennessee.

The East Region includes the Knoxville headquarters, a major operations hub in Chattanooga and over 12,000 megawatts of electric generation, including two nuclear plants.

"I'm excited about the possibilities of continuing down this path of the regional model and having the customers, having the elected officials, the community leaders, all working together towards a common goal of making this a great place to be," Robinson told Knox News.

An East Tennessee native, Robinson grew up in Athens and attended the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. After working on Capitol Hill and at a nonprofit, Robinson came home to join TVA, the nation's largest public power provider.

In addition to creating and selling electricity, TVA leads economic development efforts, coaxing companies to the Tennessee Valley with relatively cheap industrial power. That makes it one of the most powerful partners of city governments and chambers of commerce.

Bert Robinson is the executive leader of TVA's East Region, which includes Knoxville and Chattanooga, effective April 8.
Bert Robinson is the executive leader of TVA's East Region, which includes Knoxville and Chattanooga, effective April 8.

Robinson's predecessor as east regional executive, Carol Eimers, worked out of Chattanooga. Though he'll work from Knoxville, Robinson said he'll be traveling across the region, including historically overlooked rural areas.

"I'm really based out of my vehicle. I'm on the road a lot," Robinson said. "To me, it's going to be a seamless transition."

Robinson and his wife, Heather, have a daughter and son. He serves on the boards of the American Red Cross of East Tennessee and the East Tennessee Economic Council and holds a private pilot certificate.

How big is TVA's East Region?

East Tennessee is TVA's home base and a large portion of its power system. The East Region includes portions of Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia.

The region is home to:

  • 4.2 million people

  • 39 local power companies, including the Knoxville Utilities Board

  • 9 direct serve industrial customers, including the Department of Energy and Arconic

  • 7,800 employees

  • 11,200 retired employees

  • 10,000 contractors

  • Over 12,000 megawatts of power generation, including Watts Bar and Sequoyah Nuclear Plants and Kingston Fossil Plant

  • Over 5,900 miles of Tennessee River shoreline managed by TVA

Daniel Dassow is a growth and development reporter focused on technology and energy. Phone 423-637-0878. Email daniel.dassow@knoxnews.com.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: TVA names east tennessee leader based in Knoxville