Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) yesterday reiterated its plans for comprehensive water treatment and recycling facilities in Arizona, following reports that it could get mired down in “water politics” in the drought-affected US state.
TSMC said in a statement that it plans to construct a water recycling facility to meet the needs of its advanced wafer fabs in Phoenix, adding that it would also build a comprehensive wastewater treatment system to reduce consumption and increase efficiency.
The statement came after the US-based weekly Barron’s on Friday reported that TSMC might need to compete with agricultural users and Native American tribes in Arizona for access to water.
Photo: CNA
The report said Intel Corp’s advanced fabs in Arizona are expected to place additional pressure on TSMC’s water supply.
Citing an estimate from Phoenix officials, the report said TSMC could require up to 40,000 acre-feet (49 million cubic meters) of water a year if it builds six fabs as reported by foreign media, enough to supply 160,000 homes.
TSMC said it has been in contact with Phoenix officials since the initial planning stages of its fabs to ensure that it has sufficient water supplies.
TSMC in December last year said it would expand its investment in Arizona to US$40 billion from the original US$12 billion.
The company is to build a 4-nanometer and a 3-nanometer fab in the state, with the former expected to start mass production next year and the latter in 2026.
TSMC said that, to its knowledge, the authorities in Phoenix are keen to invest in water-related infrastructure to create a sustainable supply.
Phoenix, which can draw on water sources including the Colorado River, the Verde River, the Salt River and underground aquifers, has been designated by the state of Arizona as having a 100-year supply of water, TSMC said.
The company said wastewater released from its facilities would adhere to standards higher than those required by Arizona regulations.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), the world’s biggest contract chipmaker, booked its first-ever profit from its Arizona subsidiary in the first half of this year, four years after operations began, a company financial statement showed. Wholly owned by TSMC, the Arizona unit contributed NT$4.52 billion (US$150.1 million) in net profit, compared with a loss of NT$4.34 billion a year earlier, the statement showed. The company attributed the turnaround to strong market demand and high factory utilization. The Arizona unit counts Apple Inc, Nvidia Corp and Advanced Micro Devices Inc among its major customers. The firm’s first fab in Arizona began high-volume production
VOTE OF CONFIDENCE: The Japanese company is adding Intel to an investment portfolio that includes artificial intelligence linchpins Nvidia Corp and TSMC Softbank Group Corp agreed to buy US$2 billion of Intel Corp stock, a surprise deal to shore up a struggling US name while boosting its own chip ambitions. The Japanese company, which is adding Intel to an investment portfolio that includes artificial intelligence (AI) linchpins Nvidia Corp and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), is to pay US$23 a share — a small discount to Intel’s last close. Shares of the US chipmaker, which would issue new stock to Softbank, surged more than 5 percent in after-hours trading. Softbank’s stock fell as much as 5.4 percent on Tuesday in Tokyo, its
COLLABORATION: Softbank would supply manufacturing gear to the factory, and a joint venture would make AI data center equipment, Young Liu said Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密) would operate a US factory owned by Softbank Group Corp, setting up what is in the running to be the first manufacturing site in the Japanese company’s US$500 billion Stargate venture with OpenAI and Oracle Corp. Softbank is acquiring Hon Hai’s electric-vehicle plant in Ohio, but the Taiwanese company would continue to run the complex after turning it into an artificial intelligence (AI) server production plant, Hon Hai chairman Young Liu (劉揚偉) said yesterday. Softbank would supply manufacturing gear to the factory, and a joint venture between the two companies would make AI data
The Taiwan Automation Intelligence and Robot Show, which is to be held from Wednesday to Saturday at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, would showcase the latest in artificial intelligence (AI)-driven robotics and automation technologies, the organizer said yesterday. The event would highlight applications in smart manufacturing, as well as information and communications technology, the Taiwan Automation Intelligence and Robotics Association said. More than 1,000 companies are to display innovations in semiconductors, electromechanics, industrial automation and intelligent manufacturing, it said in a news release. Visitors can explore automated guided vehicles, 3D machine vision systems and AI-powered applications at the show, along
RSS