TSMC Seeks Govt Nod for Advanced Fab in Hsinchu Science Park Expansion

According to a report by Focus Taiwan, the Hsinchu Science Park Bureau said it will submit a proposal for the third phase of the Longtan Science Park, including plans for a TSMC fab, later this month to the National Science and Technology Council for review.

The move followed a period of shifting strategies for the company. The contract chipmaker previously bid to build a fab using a process more advanced than its current 2-nanometer technology at the Longtan Campus, but the plan was shelved in 2023 due to opposition from local residents.

After giving up the Longtan plan last year, TSMC shifted its focus toward southern Taiwan and intensified the development of high-end technologies in Tainan and Kaohsiung.

However, recent reports indicated that local sentiment in Longtan had changed. Many of the affected residents in the area warmed to the prospect of the TSMC fab, which was set to be constructed on land that consisted of up to 88 per cent privately owned plots.

"Earlier this year, Hu Shi-min, director general of the bureau, told reporters that the bureau had held two public hearings -- one at the end of last year and the other in earlier this year -- on the third phase of the Longtan Campus," the report stated.

The report also noted that TSMC expected to develop "angstrom-class" processes, roughly around 0.1 nm, at the Longtan site to meet the escalating demand for artificial intelligence computing. The project involved a potential investment ranging from NT$500 billion (approx. USD 15.9 billion) to NT$600 billion (approx. USD 19.1 billion). This capital was intended to ensure that the company's most advanced technology development maintained deep roots within Taiwan.

In response to the developments, the company did not confirm specific technical details regarding the new facility but reiterated its commitment to its primary manufacturing hub.

"TSMC said that with Taiwan as its major production base, the company will continue to work with the authorities to seek more appropriate venues for expansion," the report noted.

While the chipmaker did not verify whether it would build a new fab in the Longtan section using the angstrom process specifically, it stated that it did not rule out any possibility for new technology development.

- ANI