Compare semiconductor manufacturing locations in two stages: first screen out sites that cannot reliably support the intended operation; then compare the viable candidates using site-specific construction and operating costs. Water, power, and logistics are essential parts of that comparison, but the right balance depends on whether the facility will fabricate wafers, conduct R&D, assemble and test chips, or supply the industry.
Start with operational viability, then compare costs
A location that looks inexpensive on paper may not be viable if it cannot supply the required utilities, support dependable transport, or meet permitting and compliance requirements. The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) recommends identifying viable locations before calculating and comparing detailed construction and operating estimates. Its criteria also include infrastructure, logistics, permitting, legal compliance, taxes, and proximity to suppliers and customers. SIA investment report
Define the facility before evaluating sites. Water, power, logistics, and ecosystem needs vary by activity and project scale; a wafer fabrication plant does not have the same operating profile as an R&D center, an assembly and test facility, or a supplier site. There is no universal location score or winner established by these sources.
Build a comparable evidence file for each candidate
Use the same questions and evidence categories for every candidate. The table is a due-diligence framework, not a source-provided scoring formula. Validate claims with local utilities, relevant authorities, engineering studies, and project-specific estimates.
| Dimension | What to compare | Evidence to collect |
|---|---|---|
| Water | Source reliability, quality, capacity, cost, drought exposure, wastewater treatment and discharge constraints, and reuse potential | Utility commitments and rates; permits; watershed and drought records; treatment capacity; project-specific demand and reuse design |
| Power | Grid stability, available capacity, outage history, cost, redundancy, resilience, and electricity mix | Utility service commitments; interconnection schedule; tariff; outage and restoration data; backup and resilience plans |
| Logistics | Inbound materials and equipment, outbound product routes, supplier and customer access, transport reliability, and communications | Route and mode analysis; border and customs processes where relevant; supplier and customer mapping; disruption scenarios |
| Site and operations | Construction conditions, land, utilities, disaster exposure, permitting, regulatory compliance, and taxes | Engineering diligence; hazard assessment; permitting schedule; cost estimates; local regulatory review |
| Ecosystem | Suppliers, customers, R&D partners, educational partners, and talent | Current supplier and customer footprint; workforce and training capacity; partner commitments |
Keep evidence project-specific and comparable: use the same facility assumptions, time horizon, and cost categories across candidates. Record what is confirmed, what is an estimate, and what remains contingent on approvals or utility upgrades.
Compare water as a supply-and-treatment system
Water diligence should cover more than a stated supply volume or price. Check whether the source can deliver the required quality and capacity reliably, including through drought or other seasonal stress. Then examine wastewater treatment, discharge constraints, and whether reuse or reclamation is practical for the proposed process and site.
Rank #2
- Ask the water provider about available capacity, service commitments, rates, and infrastructure needed to serve the site.
- Review permits, watershed conditions, drought records, treatment capacity, and discharge requirements with the relevant authorities.
- Have engineers estimate the project’s water demand and assess feasible reuse or reclamation measures.
U.S. Department of Commerce announcements describe water conservation and wastewater reclamation at Polar Semiconductor, and planned recovery and recycling measures at Entegris. These are examples of company-specific practices, not universal performance standards or proof that another site can achieve the same results. Polar Semiconductor announcement; Entegris announcement
Evaluate power reliability as well as price
For a semiconductor operation, electricity cost is only one part of the decision. Compare available capacity, grid stability, outage and restoration history, interconnection timing, resilience arrangements, and the local electricity mix. The SIA describes semiconductor facilities as continuous operations and notes that even a “micro power outage” can cause substantial operational losses. SIA investment report
Request written service commitments and an interconnection schedule from the utility. Use local outage and restoration data to understand reliability, and have the project team assess redundancy and backup arrangements against the facility’s requirements. If lower-carbon electricity is a priority, verify the available supply and procurement options locally rather than treating regional generation claims as a site-level guarantee.
Assess logistics as a network, not a distance
Map the movement of materials, equipment, and finished products for the specific supply chain. A site’s proximity to a port, airport, supplier, or customer does not by itself establish that shipments can move reliably or efficiently. Consider transport modes and routes, border and customs processes where relevant, communications infrastructure, and potential disruptions.
Rank #4
- Identify critical inbound materials and equipment, their origins, and viable routes.
- Map outbound product destinations and the transport modes each route depends on.
- Assess supplier and customer access, route reliability, communications, and disruption alternatives.
The SIA includes logistics and proximity to suppliers and customers among location factors. The practical weight of each factor depends on the facility and its supply chain; no single distance metric captures the full picture. SIA investment report
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Turn the evidence into a site decision
- Define the project. Specify the semiconductor activity, scale, utility requirements, supply chain, and operating priorities.
- Set minimum viability tests. Establish what each candidate must demonstrate for water, power, logistics, permitting, and other essential needs before it advances.
- Collect local evidence. Obtain utility commitments, rates and schedules; relevant permit and hazard information; and route, supplier, and customer analysis.
- Build comparable estimates. For viable candidates, compare detailed construction and operating costs using consistent project assumptions.
- Weight trade-offs for the facility. Apply priorities that reflect its process, risk tolerance, ecosystem needs, and operating plan. Document uncertainty rather than concealing it in a single score.
Location decisions can carry substantial economic stakes, but broad industry figures cannot substitute for a project estimate. The SIA reported that the semiconductor industry’s research and capital expenditure together represented over 40% of global semiconductor sales in 2023. That is an industry-level figure, not a per-fab construction budget, an operating-cost share, or a location-specific estimate. SIA overview
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