Are TSMC, UMC Affected By Taiwan’s Water Shortages?

Alan Patterson, EETimes
1/27/2015 11:17 AM EST

TAIPEI — Taiwan’s leading chip foundries, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) and United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC), are unaffected so far by water shortages in Taiwan, thanks to the companies’ efforts in recent years to institute resource-reuse programs.

Rainfall in Taiwan is at the lowest level since 1947, according to the government’s Water Resources Agency, which in November last year started restrictions on water use in two parts of the island where most of the fabs run by TSMC and UMC are located. If conditions worsen, as is likely this year, a new round of tighter restrictions will limit water supplies for industrial and public use.

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