TSMC abandons construction site for 1nm factory in northern Taiwan after residents’ protests

TSMC will not build a new chip factory in northern Taiwan after all. The Taiwanese chipmaker wanted to build a 1nm factory in the Longtan district, but decided against it after protests from residents. TSMC is looking for another location, but has not yet mentioned any alternatives.

Residents protested against the planned construction of a new 1nm chip factory at the Longtan Science Park, reports Reuters news agency. Residents do not want to move to allow an expansion of the industrial estate. TSMC will evaluate alternative locations together with the Science Park Administration of the Taiwanese government.

TSMC announced last year that it wanted to build a 1nm factory at the Longtan Science Park. The company would allocate the equivalent of 31 billion euros for this, the Vice Prime Minister of Taiwan reported at the time. TSMC currently already has packaging factories at that industrial estate. The location is also close to the chip manufacturer’s R&D center.

It is not known where TSMC will build its first 1nm factory now. The mayor of Kaohsiung, a southern Taiwanese city, indicates that there is “more than enough water, energy and land” for new chip factories. TSMC is currently building a 2nm factory there. It is not known whether Kaohsiung is actually being considered by the manufacturer as an alternative location for 1nm production.

TSMC’s current roadmap, which does not yet mention 1nm. Source: TSMC