A worker stands outside a construction site of the Xinzhuang coal mine that is part of Huaneng Group's integrated coal power project near Qingyang, Ning County, Gansu province, China, September 19, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

Local resident Wang Chunxiang, 53, poses for a photograph at her family's apple orchard that they own, next to a proposed site where state-owned power generation company Huaneng Group plans to build a coal-fired power plant near Qingyang, Zhengning County, Gansu province, China, September 19, 2020. "This used to be farmers' land, mainly for planting apple trees," said Wang. "Now, the farmers have long gone." REUTERS/Thomas Peter

A guard sprays water onto the ground at the gate of Yanbei coal mine in Huating County, Gansu province, China, September 18, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

Workers shovel coal onto a truck at a coal yard near a coal mine in Huating, Gansu province, China, September 18, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

Sheep graze on a field near the decommissioned Liancheng coal-fired power plant and the Chinalco aluminium smelter, at Heqiao village, in Yongdeng county, Gansu province, China, September 16, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

Locals stand in front of the decommissioned Liancheng coal-fired power plant's cooling towers, which have stood idle since 2018, in Heqiao village, Yongdeng county, Gansu province, China, September 16, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

Workers walk near Huateng's Yadian coal mine near Xianyang, Bin County, Shaanxi province, China, September 19, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

A wallpaper showing a base relief of cherubs hangs on the wall of the living room at Wang Chunxiang's family home that is located next to a proposed site where state-owned power generation company Huaneng Group plans to build a coal-fired power plant near Qingyang, Zhengning County, Gansu province, China, September 19, 2020. Wang, a mother of four built her home with the proceeds from her family's fruit business, is resigned to leaving once construction gets underway. "They haven't given us any specific date when we should move ... It's going to be a lot of trouble," she said. "We only just built this house six years ago and it's going to be hard to give it up." REUTERS/Thomas Peter

A man pulls a cart with recyclable materials past the decommissioned Huating coal-fired power plant in Huating, Gansu province, China, September 18, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

A man who runs a tea shop and truck washing station out of a cabin, sits on his front porch next to a coal yard near a coal mine in Huating, Gansu province, China, September 18, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

Customers eat noodles inside a restaurant outside the Shanzhai coal mine in Cedizhen village, Huating County, Gansu province, China, September 18, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

A dentist treats a customer at his stall in an open-air market near the Shanzhai coal mine in Cedizhen village, Huating County, Gansu province, China, September 18, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

A railway tunnel that services a railway that is part of Huaneng Group's integrated coal power project, stands near Qingyang, Ning County, Gansu province, China, September 19, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

A bowl of Lanzhou-style noodles sits on a table at a restaurant that once served workers of the now decommissioned Liancheng coal-fired power plant in Heqiao village, Yongdeng county, Gansu province, China, September 16, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

A goat herder watches his flock near the decommissioned Gangu coal-fired power plant in Maojiaping village, Gangu County, Gansu province, China, September 17, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

A member of staff closes the shutters of a Lanzhou-style noodle restaurant in Heqiao village, Yongdeng county, Gansu province, China, September 16, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

The Walnut Valley coal mine that is part of Huaneng Group's integrated coal power project stands near Qingyang, Ning County, Gansu province, China, September 19, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

A customer sits in a restaurant that once served workers of the now decommissioned Liancheng coal-fired power plant in Heqiao village, Yongdeng county, Gansu province, China, September 16, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

A farmer drives a truck loaded with corn past Huaneng's Pingliang coal-fired power plant in the Kongtong District of Pingliang, Gansu province, China, September 19, 2020.

A woman holding her child stands in front of her family's car repair shop opposite the decommissioned Liancheng coal-fired power plant in Heqiao village, Yongdeng county, Gansu province, China, September 16, 2020. "Business has been affected. There aren’t as many people coming here as there used to be," she said. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

Locals play mahjong in an alley near the decommissioned Liancheng coal-fired power plant in Heqiao village, Yongdeng county, Gansu province, China, September 16, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Peter