SEOUL, March 03 (Yonhap) – Samsung Electronics Co. is at risk of an extended shutdown of its US chip manufacturing plant following a power outage, industry sources said on Wednesday.
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Samsung and other chipmakers in Texas are expected to take “a few weeks” to resume operations after power cuts in the region caused by a winter storm last month, according to Reuters and other foreign media.
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Samsung’s chip factory in Austin, Texas, has been inactive since February 16. It is the first time in the history of the factory that production has been stopped.
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The world’s largest producer of memory chips have reportedly sent engineers to the Austin plant to minimize damage and help get things back to normal.
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Earlier, market research firm TrendForce said severe weather conditions would have affected about 1 or 2 percent of the world’s 12-inch wafer foundry capacity. Supply shortages are expected if the situation continues, observers say.
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“The extended lead times (at the Samsung plant) are expected to further exacerbate tensions in the semiconductor market, given the industry’s shortage of production capacity for various applications using semiconductors, including automotive products, which remain in high demand, ”TrendForce said.
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Separately, Samsung recently submitted a revised tax credit proposal to authorities in Texas regarding its planned new chip manufacturing plant in the region, according to industry sources.
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In these documents, the South Korean giant said it was studying other American states for possible investment, including two areas in Arizona and a site in New York, in an alleged attempt to strengthen its power. negotiation.
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Last month, it was reported that Samsung asked authorities in Texas to grant a 20-year tax rebate, worth a total of $ 805.5 million, for its new chip manufacturing plant in Austin.
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