Micron Technology, a US producer of computer memory and data storage, has delayed the construction and opening of a $100bn semiconductor fabrication plant in Clay, New York.
Micron first announced efforts to deliver the wafer plant project in 2022, with the intention of building four large Dynamic Random-Access Memory (DRAM) wafer plants.
Construction for the facility was scheduled to begin in 2025 and has now been postponed for two-to-three years.
Once built, the Clay campus would become the largest US producer of DRAM for applications spanning AI, defence, cybersecurity, aerospace, and consumer electronics.
Micron released a final environmental impact statement on November 7, which showed a “potential revised” construction schedule, reflecting the delay in the opening of the first facility.
Micron’s EIS noted: “The first two DRAM manufacturing fabs (Fab 1 and Fab 2) are expected to be operational by 2029 and 2030, respectively, with the remaining fabs (Fab 3 and Fab 4) coming online in 2035 and 2041.”
Micron issued a statement that “based on construction timelines experienced across the semiconductor industry for greenfield fabs in the US”, they have updated their projected operational milestones.
Reporting sources have alluded to the fact that it was due to evolving project requirements in the federal funding agreement under the CHIPS and Science Act.
Under the CHIPS and Science Act, the Department of Commerce provided Micron with $6.14bn to support the construction of two fabrication plants in Clay, New York and one in Boise, Idaho.
When Micron does finally construct the fab, it will occupy 27.5 acres and consist of about 600,000 sqft of cleanroom space and an equal area for supporting infrastructure.
Micron’s project promises nearly 50,000 jobs as the campus grows from one chip fabrication plant to four over the next 20 years.
The full campus, comprising four fabs, was originally targeted for completion in 2041. Micron still plans phased development out to that date.