Taiwan Temporarily Decides to Expand 1.4nm at TSMC Central Science Park

Paper Delivery Scheduled to TSMC in June Next Year

The Taiwanese government has reportedly tentatively decided to expand TSMC's cutting-edge 1.4-nanometer (nm; 1 nm = one billionth of a meter) semiconductor process at the Central Taiwan Science Park.

On the 29th, Taiwanese media including Liberty Times cited sources reporting that the Taiwanese Executive Yuan recently decided this at a 'Semiconductor Important Agenda Meeting' regarding the abandonment of the planned expansion of TSMC's 1.4 nm process in the northern region. It was also reported that the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) of Taiwan aims to deliver the site to TSMC by June next year.

A government official stated that the authorities have effectively selected the Central Taiwan Science Park in Taichung, central Taiwan, for TSMC's cutting-edge 1.4 nm semiconductor process construction. He explained that TSMC originally had plans to build advanced 1.4 nm semiconductor factories at both the third phase expansion site of the Taoyuan Longtan Science Park in the north and the second phase expansion development site of the Central Taiwan Science Park in Taichung.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

However, TSMC abandoned the third phase expansion project at Taoyuan Longtan Science Park and chose the Central Taiwan Science Park as an alternative.

Earlier, the second phase expansion development plan for the Taichung site of the Central Taiwan Science Park, promoted by the Central Taiwan Science Park Administration, passed the final environmental impact assessment in February. After passing the urban planning amendment review by the Taichung City Urban Planning Committee at the end of August, it is currently under review by the Central Urban Planning Committee of the Ministry of the Interior, which convened on the 26th.

An official pointed out that to smoothly proceed with the TSMC 1.4 nm process expansion, concerns about the shortage of domestic water and electricity supply by the Taichung city authorities must be resolved.