By Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company
TSMC has announced the U.S. Department of Commerce and TSMC Arizona have signed a non-binding Preliminary Memorandum of Terms for up to $6.6B in direct funding under the CHIPS and Science Act. TSMC also announced plans to build a third fab at TSMC Arizona to meet strong customer demand leveraging the most advanced semiconductor process technology in the United States.
As the company makes progress in completing its first fab and continues construction of its second fab at its Arizona subsidiary, the third fab brings TSMC’s total capital expenditure for the Phoenix site to more than $65B, making the site the largest foreign direct investment in Arizona history, and the largest foreign direct investment in a greenfield project in U.S. history.
TSMC Arizona’s three fabs are expected to create approximately 6,000 direct high-tech, high-wage jobs, building a workforce that will help to support a vibrant and competitive global semiconductor ecosystem that enables leading U.S. companies to gain access to domestically manufactured, cutting-edge semiconductor products alongside a world-class semiconductor foundry. According to an analysis by the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, this increased investment in three fabs will create more than 20,000 accumulated unique construction jobs and tens of thousands of indirect supplier and consumer jobs.
TSMC Arizona’s first fab is on track to begin production leveraging 4nm technology in the first half of 2025. The second fab will produce the world’s most advanced 2nm process technology with next-generation nanosheet transistors in addition to the previously announced 3nm technology, with production beginning in 2028.
The third fab will produce chips using 2nm or more advanced processes, with production beginning by the end of the decade. Each of the three fabs, like all of TSMC’s advanced fabs, will have a cleanroom area approximately double the size of an industry standard logic fab.
TSMC practices green manufacturing and aims to serve as a global standard for eco-friendly corporations with constant innovations in energy efficiency, water conservation, waste management, and air pollution control. TSMC Arizona’s fabs are designed and built with that same global vision and aim to achieve a 90% water recycling rate. The company has started the design phase of building an industrial water reclamation plant with a design goal of achieving “near zero liquid discharge”, bringing nearly every drop of water back into the facility.
In addition to the proposed $6.6B in direct funding, the PMT also proposes to provide TSMC with up to $5B in loans. TSMC plans to apply for U.S. Treasury Department Investment Tax Credits of up to 25% of the qualified capital expenditure at TSMC Arizona. The company remains committed to its long-term financial goals, which are a 15-20% revenue compound annual growth rate in USD terms, 53% and higher gross margin, and 25% and higher return on equity.
All TSMC overseas investments are subject to regulatory approvals in Taiwan as necessary. (Source)
