[Microsoft Pledges to Bear Power Costs for AI Computing Expansion] According to Jinse Finance, on November 12th, Noel Walsh, head of Microsoft's (MSFT.O) cloud operations and innovation division, stated that the company will bear the electricity costs associated with its data center expansion, without relying on government subsidies or passing the costs on to other electricity consumers. Microsoft plans to invest $117 billion this year in building computing power for AI and cloud services. The company is partnering with Chevron (CVX.N) and investment firm EngineNo1 to advance Project Kilby, a large-scale data center and associated power project in western Texas. Despite previous disruptions due to a suspension of local data center approvals, the project is still scheduled to begin construction in 2028 and be fully operational by 2031. Chevron stated that the project will create jobs and stable tax revenue for the local community, while Microsoft emphasized that data center construction must generate net benefits for the surrounding community; otherwise, it will be difficult to sustain.