TSMC plans to call in full workforce with power being restored
Semiconductor Business News
(09/24/99, 04:32:09 PM EDT)
HSINCHU, Taiwan--Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. said today that it is now running at 55-60% full power as it
continued to restore electricity to its wafer fabs here following Tuesday's powerful earthquake. TSMC said it expects to
be receiving 85% external power on Saturday.
If all goes as planned, the external power and backup generators will be providing the silicon foundry's facilities with
essentially "full power," according to TSMC officials. Consequently, TSMC said it plans to call in a full workforce in each
wafer fab, and it anticipates gradually resuming chip production next week.
TSMC and other Taiwan chip makers have been racing the clock to restart their fabs after power outages knocked them
out of commission early Tuesday morning.
With increased power allocation, TSMC said all air conditioning and exhaust systems are now running, and DI water
plants are operating at a higher level than Thursday. Gas line testing was fully underway today. TSMC also said
equipment inspection and repair were also well under way.
"We have equipment vendor support people arriving now and over the weekend to supplement our efforts and help deal
with any complex problems we may run into as we bring up the equipment," said Ron Norris, senior vice president of
worldwide marketing and sales for TSMC. "Our operations people report that so far they have identified 'no major
showstoppers'," he added.
TSMC said its mask shop and test areas received minimal damage and operations were expected to fully resume within
one or two days. |
