India, Aug. 24 -- India's April 2026 power surge exposed both the promise and limits of its clean-energy push: solar briefly met a third of demand, but coal still stabilised the grid and deficits persisted.

The article argues India's transition must be "just" - protecting coal-dependent workers, states and revenues through early planning, diversification and a new Centre-state compact, not just adding renewables.

On April 24-25, 2026, India's power system offered a glimpse of both the promise and the complexity of the country's energy transition. Amid an intense heatwave, electricity demand surged to 252 GW and then to a record 256 GW. During peak solar hours, renewable energy performed remarkably well, with solar generation reaching 80...