Christopher “Chris” Bakken III is the executive vice president of Entergy Infrastructure, headquartered in Jackson, Mississippi. He is responsible for Entergy’s nuclear plants located in New York, Vermont, Michigan, Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas, as well as the company’s management services to the Cooper Nuclear Station for the Nebraska Public Power District. Bakken is also responsible for building and strengthening relationships with external stakeholders, while becoming an engaged company representative to the industry.

Prior to this role, Bakken served as executive director, EDF Energy Nuclear New Build and project director for Hinkley Point C based in London. He was responsible for leading the design, licensing, procurement, construction and commissioning of the dual unit EPR at Hinkley Point C, the first nuclear new-build project in the United Kingdom in 20 years. He joined the company in 2009 as director of operations, safety and licensing.

Bakken’s 30-year career began in 1982 as a test engineer at Duquesne Light Company, where he spent nine years in the control room as a licensed senior reactor operator. Since then, he has held positions of increasing responsibility in operations leadership for both domestic and global companies including American Electric Power, Public Service Enterprise Group and British Energy.

From 2003-2005, Bakken held positions at PSEG as senior vice president, site operations, president and chief nuclear officer, and senior vice president, power transition. From 1995-1999, he worked for PSEG as a manager and director of operations, before becoming a plant manager for Salem Generating Station. Under his leadership, the plant achieved maximum regulatory score in operations and support, and set a new record for continuous operation for Salem Unit 1.

Bakken has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania. He holds a master’s degree in industrial administration with distinction from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh where he was elected to Beta Gamma Sigma national honor society. He earned a senior reactor operator’s license from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 1986 for Beaver Valley Unit 1.