On April 1, Microsoft, Chevron, and investment fund Engine No.1 unveiled that they had inked an exclusive agreement concerning power generation and supply. With technology firms on the lookout for a steady stream of electricity to fuel their swiftly proliferating data centers—centers that underpin AI services like ChatGPT and Copilot—this partnership comes at a crucial juncture. As of now, the commercial terms remain under negotiation, and a finalized agreement is yet to be reached. According to reports, this long-term pact centers around a proposed natural gas power plant in western Texas. The plant, estimated to cost around $7 billion, is expected to initially generate 2,500 megawatts of power, enough to energize a sprawling data center campus.
