TSMC has quietly accelerated the start of construction on a large new complex designed to produce 1.4 nm wafers, ramping up plans for a multi-building site known as Fab 25. The facility, which will be located in the Central Taiwan Science Park near Taichung, is expected to include four production buildings and carries an initial investment estimate in the low-trillion New Taiwan dollar range. TSMC aims for the first plant to begin risk or production by the end of 2027 and for high-volume production to ramp up in the second half of 2028 for major customers, mainly Apple, NVIDIA, AMD, and others. Suppliers of equipment and construction materials have been notified to accelerate their deliveries, ensuring that specialized tools and materials arrive at on a shorter schedule.

TSMC expects the Angstrom-era node to deliver more than 15% performance gains and significant power reductions, reportedly up to 30%. Customers can also expect substantially higher wafer costs compared to the 2 nm node, given the node's complexity and higher operational costs. The buildout also addresses infrastructure issues, with regulators and the company negotiating commitments for recycled water and desalination to protect local supplies. Some Hsinchu facilities are being refitted to host pilot lines and R&D work that will support the 1.4 nm program, and regional planning in the south is already contemplating future fabs for even smaller nodes. If TSMC meets this accelerated timeline, Fab 25 will further extend the foundry's lead and reshape the capital intensity and competitive dynamics of advanced chipmaking.