SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — Micron is responding to NewsChannel 9’s request for comment about the newly-revealed delays in construction of the promised $100 billion megafab project in the Town of Clay.
“We are well-positioned to proceed with confidence,” said Micron.
The statement acknowledges the delays in building construction revealed Friday in the publication of the final environmental review documentation.
Initial site preparation, casually referred to as a “groundbreaking,” is still promised by the end of 2025, but construction of the campus’ first chip-making factory wouldn’t begin until mid-2026.
Instead of taking just over two years, the first building is now slated to take at least four years.
Construction of the second fabrication facility would be delayed from mid-2028 to the end of 2030.
“Based on construction timelines experienced across the semiconductor industry for greenfield fabs in the United States, Micron has updated our projected operational milestones,” the company’s statement reads.
On Friday, Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon, who called in from an out-of-town vacation, explained labor and supply chain shortages contributed to the construction delays of similar projects in other states.
He said it takes two-to-three years to build this sort of chip-making fab, referencing TSMC in Arizona and another project by Micron in Idaho.
Friday, the Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency approved the Final Environmental Impact Statement, but notably said nothing about the alarming construction delays revealed within it. Subsequent interviews with Deputy County Executive Robert Petrovich and OCIDA Chairman Pat Hogan also did not make reference to the delays.
“Certainly, a historical day,” said McMahon about the impact statement. It’s a key step to allowing town-level permitting and construction to happen.
The document’s publication will be followed by the federal government’s record of decision document 30 days after. That leaves late December as the waning time for some sort of groundbreaking in 2025 that’s been promised by the Onondaga County Executive.
“Yes,” McMahon said when asked if work can begin in such a short window. “The teams are ready, right?” he asked rhetorically.
“Full scale construction will begin in December,” said McMahon. Micron refers to it as ground preparation.
“In ’26 you’ll see certainly foundations and vertical constructions,” said McMahon. “They can always go faster,” he added.
Full Statement from Micron issued to NewsChannel 9
Micron remains focused on bringing leading-edge memory manufacturing to New York, and we appreciate the strong partnership with federal, state, and local authorities. Following a thorough and comprehensive environmental review process, and working in harmony with the community to understand and address environmental impacts, we are well-positioned to proceed with confidence. As planned, we expect to begin ground preparation for our megafab in New York once permitting enables us to do so. Based on construction timelines experienced across the semiconductor industry for greenfield fabs in the United States, Micron has updated our projected operational milestones. To support the growth of the U.S. semiconductor industry in New York, Micron will continue fulfilling our commitment to workforce development and community investment across the state.
