Chris Hansen is the chief executive officer for La Plata Electric Association in Durango, Colorado. He has worked in the global energy sector for more than 25 years. Before joining LPEA, Hansen served in the Colorado State Senate. He previously worked in global energy consulting and research roles, including as a senior director at IHS Markit and research fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies. Hansen holds a Bachelor of Science in nuclear engineering from Kansas State University, a graduate diploma in civil engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand, a Master of Science in technology policy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a Ph.D. in economic geography from the University of Oxford. He joined the NWPPA Board of Trustees earlier this year.

What are the current challenges at your utility?
One of our biggest challenges—and opportunities—is navigating the transition to a more flexible, resilient, and locally driven energy system. As we work to increase energy independence and integrate more local resources, we are focused on maintaining affordability and reliability for our members while building the grid of the future.

What do you see as the current challenges in the industry?
Across the industry, utilities are managing the complexity of rapid change—balancing reliability, affordability, decarbonization, and evolving customer expectations while modernizing infrastructure and navigating new market structures.

How does NWPPA help your utility and the industry with these challenges?
NWPPA plays an important role in connecting public power utilities, providing training, workforce development, and a collaborative forum for policy advocacy and sharing solutions. That kind of knowledge-sharing is critical as utilities across the region adapt to a rapidly evolving energy landscape.

Any hobbies outside of the public power world?
Outside of work, I enjoy spending time outdoors in southwest Colorado—hiking, skiing, and exploring the mountains with my family.