Annual MEA Photo Contest, 2022 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: Jill Badzinski, Michels
A line worker concentrates while working on a conductor.

Category: Natural Gas


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

Submitted by: Rita Reed, Bluewater Gas Storage, subsidiary of WEC Energy Group
The sun sets over Bluewater Gas Storage Facility.

Category: Electric


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

Submitted by: Angelica Covarrubias, CenterPoint Energy
CenterPoint Energy lineman trainees complete several exercises throughout their training in field-like settings.

Category: Renewable Energy


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

Submitted by: Mandi Erickson, Davids Hydro Vac, Inc
Methane gas production: cleaning old mole sieve media from dehydration tanks at a dairy farm.

Category: Human Focus


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

Submitted by: Cori Pagan, ComEd
To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and encourage more diversity, ComEd hosted 50 Latino high school students from the Chicago area to our STEM Labs event to learn about, and be inspired by, a variety of STEM career opportunities. Our students spent the day building, coding and test driving their own robots with the help of ComEd engineers.

Category: Readers’ Choice


Based on the most votes from readers.

Submitted by: Angelica Covarrubias, CenterPoint Energy
An employee enjoys a visit to a training facility in a controlled setting. These visits facilitate cross-learning across various departments.

Honorable Mentions


Submitted by: Ivan Bey, Nicor Gas
Safety Breakfast.

Submitted by: Ben Marchisio, BROEN INC.
Showcasing the care we put into manufacturing our BROEN BALLOMAX valves for Natural Gas distribution systems.

Submitted by: Mandi Erickson, Davids Hydro Vac, Inc.
Crew vaccing for footing installation and upgrades in a natural gas facility

Submitted by: Rick Homuth, ComEd
Foreboding weather in Northern Illinois and a downed power line awaiting ComEd lineworker response.

Submitted by: Jessica Crocker, City Utilities of Springfield
After providing electricity to the city of Springfield, Missouri for over 60 years, the five generators inside the City Utilities James River Power Station were retired in February of 2022.

Submitted by: Steve Berry, Colorado Springs Utilities
Colorado Springs Utilities is installing six modular natural gas generating units directly adjacent to our now closed, coal-fired Martin Drake Power Plant. The six highly efficient units serve as a bridge generation resource as we move to a new energy future that includes an 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030. Photo by Ellen Thommesen, Colorado Springs Utilities.

Submitted by: Joshua Fenske, NorthCentral Technical College
Pipe welding.

Submitted by: Kurt Anderson, Utility Technologies, Inc
Utility Technologies, Inc. truck and drill under the Northern Lights in Fairbanks, Alaska.