Samsung Electronics secures $4.7 billion in US chip subsidy

By Kim Dong-young Posted : December 21, 2024, 10:32 Updated : December 21, 2024, 10:35
Semiconductor chips printed on a circuit board Reuters-Yonhap
Semiconductor chips printed on a circuit board/ Reuters-Yonhap
SEOUL, December 21 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics has agreed to receive $4.7 billion in direct subsidies from the U.S. government for its semiconductor investment in Taylor, Texas, becoming the latest major chip company to secure funding under U.S. President Joe Biden's CHIPS and Science Act.

The subsidy package, announced on Friday by the U.S. Department of Commerce, accounts for 12.7 percent of Samsung's planned U.S. investment of over $37 billion, a higher percentage compared to U.S.-based Intel's 8.7 percent and Micron's 12.3 percent of their respective investments.

But the amount is lower than the preliminary $6.4 billion agreement announced in April, as Samsung has reportedly adjusted its initial investment plan from US$44 billion to over $37 billion by 2030.

Regarding the reduced investment for the Taylor project, the company's chairman Lee Jae-yong earlier cited difficulties "due to changing circumstances" in an interview with Reuters in October.

Samsung's Taylor fab, which began construction in 2022, will house advanced logic production lines and research development capabilities, with operations now scheduled to begin in 2026, delayed from the original target of late 2024.

The South Korean tech giant plans to use the facility as a hub for developing cutting-edge process nodes and conducting research and development in the U.S.

The latest subsidy deal follows similar announcements for other major semiconductor manufacturers including Samsung's domestic rival SK Hynix with $3.87 billion, as well as Intel's $7.8 billion and Micron's $6.1 billion in the U.S.

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