Rumor
TSMC rumored 1.2nm site at Shalun science park faces environmental assessment delay
Sunday, March 15, 2026 at 12:26 PM
The Shalun science park, which is the rumored location for TSMC's 1.2nm production facilities, is facing a delay in its environmental assessment until April 2026. The delay is attributed to the presence of protected owls on the 531-hectare site. Once operational, the park is projected to generate $70 billion in annual output.
Context
The rumored site for TSMC’s first 1.2nm process fabs at Shalun Science Park is facing a timeline shift due to an environmental assessment scheduled for April 2026. This represents a delay from the original late-2025 target because the 531-hectare site overlaps with the habitat of the protected Australasian Grass-Owl. Despite the delay, the park remains a cornerstone of the Southern Taiwan Silicon Valley initiative, intended to eventually generate an annual output of NT$2.25 trillion (US$70B) and employ 35,000 people.
This development occurs as TSMC maintains its lead in the global foundry market, having successfully started volume production of 2nm (N2) chips in Q4 2025. While competitors like Intel have pushed into the 1.8nm (18A) class, TSMC is aggressively planning its A14 and 1.2nm roadmaps to secure AI-driven demand. The Shalun site is critical for these next-generation nodes, which are expected to reach mass production around 2027 to support high-performance computing for clients like Nvidia and Apple.
Sources (13)
2nm Technology - Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company LimitedEnvironmentalists oppose Shalun Farm developmentTaiwan seeks to build its southern 'Silicon Valley' for AI boom2 nm process - WikipediaIntel's 18A production starts before TSMC’s competing N2 tech — here's how the two process nodes compare | Tom's HardwareCES 2026: Taiwanese Tech Startups, Supply Chain Partners Bring AI to Real-World Applications - EE TimesGo-ahead for Tainan's Green Energy Science Park in ShalunShalun Green Energy Science City-Home
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