Annual MEA Photo Contest, 2021 Winners

Highlighting the people, the work, the facilities, and the activities that make up the energy industry.

Category: All Around Winner


Selected from the finalists in all categories.

Submitted by: Amanda Ellinor, A.Y. McDonald Mfg. Co.
A.Y. McDonald manufactures parts that make up the natural gas meter set. This picture
features an inside look at the production process and the people making the product.

Category: Natural Gas


Pipes, construction, facilities, people, objects, activities, or R&D processes and endeavors.

Submitted by: Karley Millender-Morris, Southern Cross
Field Technician displaying the use of an IRwin® Methane Leak Detector, an innovative, portable natural gas detector for easy gas pipe survey and gas leak detection.

Category: Electric


Poles, wires, construction, facilities, people, objects, activities, or R&D processes and endeavors.

Submitted by: Steve Pine, ComEd
Smart switches on ComEd equipment are intelligent devices installed on utility poles that detect problems on the electric system and automatically isolate faults and restore power so that electricity keeps flowing to as many people as possible.

Category: Renewable Energy


Generation, equipment, people, objects or activities; landscapes related to energy production/distribution; scientific processes and endeavors.

Submitted by: Matt Cullen, WEC Energy Group – Wisconsin Public Service
A look at some of the 500,000 solar panels installed at the Two Creeks Solar Park. The facility, co-owned by Wisconsin Public Service and Madison Gas and Electric, made history in November 2020 as Wisconsin’s first utility-scale solar park.

Category: Human Focus


Photographs that tell us what it means to work in energy.

Submitted by: Chad Jackson, LJI Inspection Solutions
Material Inspection

Category: Readers’ Choice


Based on the most votes from readers.

Submitted by: Matthew Urbaniak, WEC Energy Group – Peoples Gas
Welders installing deadman bracing on 24” medium pressure main.

Honorable Mentions


Submitted by: ShaVon Sokan, ComEd
Winter Is Coming.

Submitted by: Theresa Sauls, CenterPoint Energy
CenterPoint Energy hosted field trips to their Gas Operations Training Facility.

Submitted by: ShaVon Sokan, ComEd
Jumping to serve for Hurricane Ida.

Submitted by: Matt Cullen, WEC Energy Group – Wisconsin Public Service
As light snow falls, a Wisconsin Public Service line electrician works to upgrade electric equipment in Green Bay.

Submitted by: Amanda Ellinor, A.Y. McDonald Mfg. Co.
A.Y. McDonald manufactures parts that make up the natural gas meter set. This picture features an inside look at the production process and the people making the product.

Submitted by: Brian Bretsch, Ameren
Two Ameren Illinois Fleet Operations mechanics, based in Belleville, Illinois, perform routine engine maintenance on two vehicles.

Submitted by: Brendan Conway, WEC Energy Group – We Energies
A We Energies line mechanic carries a ladder surrounded by downed wires and branches in Milwaukee. The worker was restoring power as part of the largest storm restoration effort in We Energies history after a severe storm knocked out power to 240,000 customers in August 2021.

Submitted by: Vivian Marinelli, Heath Consultants
Discover Advanced Mobile Leak Detection (AMLD).

*Photos are cropped by the web display.

  Photo Contest Information


  2022 Contest Results