TSMC will set up a new plant with more than $9.4 billion in Taichung, Taiwan. The new plant has a total site area of 18.4ha and will have a building area of 430,000sqm and clean room area of 104,000sqm. It's reported to create 8,000 jobs over the next few years.

Fab 15, in Taichung's Central Taiwan Science Park will be TSMC's third GigafabTM, or fab with capacity of more than 100,000 300mm wafers per month, and will also be TSMC's second GigafabTM equipped for 28nm technology.

TSMC is scheduled to begin equipment move-in for the Phase 1 facility in June 2011, with volume production of 40nm and 28nm technology products for customers in the first quarter of 2012.

Following Fab 12 and Fab 14,Fab 15 will be TSMC's next "green fab", incorporating green concepts in energy conservation and pollution control in eco-friendly designs, including a process water conservation rate of 85 percent, reclamation of rainwater, recirculation and reuse of general exhaust heat, and development of solar power generation and LED lighting applications.