Sunny Yi Feng thermal power station
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Sunny Yi Feng thermal power station is a power station under construction in Norton, Chegutu, Mashonaland West, Zimbabwe. It is also known as Sunny Jin Long power station.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| Sunny Yi Feng thermal power station | Norton, Chegutu, Mashonaland West, Zimbabwe | -17.883607, 30.748629 (exact)[1] |
Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):
- Unit 1: -17.883607, 30.748629
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology | Emergency/Backup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Construction[2] | coal: unknown[1] | 210[1] | unknown | False |
Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details
| Unit name | Owner | Parent |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Sunny Jin Long Energy Pvt Ltd [100%][3] | Sunny Yi Feng Pvt Ltd [100.0%] |
Project-level captive use details
Ownership Tree
This ownership tree is part of the Global Energy Ownership Tracker, a project of Global Energy Monitor.
Background
As of March 2025, Chinese company Sunny Yi Feng planned to build a 210 MW captive coal plant to power its tile manufacturing facility in the town of Norton. The company also planned to install a 20 MW solar plant at its factory, but claimed that it had insufficient space to build a solar plant that could support all of its power needs.[4][5]
By May 2025, the power station had reportedly received its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) certificate from Zimbabwe’s Environmental Management Agency.[6]
According to reporting from July 2025, Sunny Yi Feng planned to build the power station through its energy company Sunny Jin Long. The coal plant was reportedly expected to supply power to local communities and a nearby fertilizer plant.[7]
As of April 2026, construction on the power station was reportedly 45% complete.[8] Planet satellite imagery from May 2026 showed construction progress at a site close to the Sunny Yi Feng Industrial Park.
Opposition
A report commissioned by Sunny Yi Feng revealed that many residents of Norton were opposed to the proposed coal plant. Community members were reportedly concerned about air and water pollution from coal combustion, and its potential health impacts. Sunny Yi Feng claimed that it would mitigate these risks by installing emissions control systems and dust filters, and reusing coal ash in cement manufacturing.[4][5]
Sunny Yi Feng had previously faced resistance to its February 2025 application for a coal exploration license in Hwange National Park’s buffer zone. The Speaker of Zimbabwe’s Parliament had opposed the application, and the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority urged the Ministry of Mines to reject the company’s application for a 16,120-hectare prospecting permit.[9][10]
As of July 2025, over 250 residents of Norton had petitioned the town and district councils, the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, and the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) to halt the project. Community members expressed concerns about pollution and associated health risks from the proposed coal plant, which was reportedly slated to be built within a 5 km radius of Lake Chivero and several schools. In response to the residents’ concerns, the EMA reportedly said that they would “continue to monitor the project implementation through routine inspections and environmental audits as per our mandate.”[7]
In November 2025, BirdLife Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Wetlands Trust, and the Combined Harare Residents Association filed a joint appeal calling for the power station’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) certificate to be revoked. The groups reportedly argued that authorizing construction of a coal plant in the sensitive Chivero–Manyame wetlands violated Zimbabwe’s environmental law and contradicted its climate and conservation commitments.[6]
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Green vs Black: After Hwange, Norton residents resist tile giant's coal-power plant". newZWire. 2025-03-20. Archived from the original on 2026-04-23. Retrieved 2025-03-24.
- ↑ https://www.heraldonline.co.zw/post-cabinet-briefing-employment-policy-approved1/.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ https://newshubzim.co.zw/2026/02/04/shady-coal-plant-encroaches-into-protected-wetlands/.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 4.0 4.1 “Green vs Black: After Hwange, Norton residents resist tile giant’s coal-power plant,” newZWire, March 20, 2025
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 “Norton Residents Push Back Against Sunny Yi Feng's Coal Power Station Plan,” ZimNow, March 21, 2025
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 “Shady Coal Plant Encroaches into Protected Wetlands,” NewsHub, February 4, 2026
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 “Chinese firm ignite storm | Business Times,” ZiFM Stereo, July 17, 2025
- ↑ “POST CABINET BRIEFING: Employment Policy approved,” The Herald, April 8, 2026
- ↑ “Mudenda rejects coal mining proposal inside Hwange National Park by Chinese company,” ZimLive, March 13, 2025
- ↑ “Zim Faces Scrutiny Over Chinese Firm’s Hwange Park Coal Bid,” NewsHub, February 20, 2025
Additional data
To access additional data, including an interactive map of coal-fired power stations, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.
