After nearly two years of schedule drift, environmental filings confirm that Micron Technology now plans to begin construction in mid-2026 on the first manufacturing plant of its $100 billion semiconductor megafab in Clay, New York, north of Syracuse.
The final environmental impact statement, filed with the Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency, revises the project schedule and advances the operational goal of the first factory to 2030.
During a Nov. 6 public hearing on the filing, Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon called the plan “a truly monumental and tangible step forward” and acknowledged the long delay since the 2024 start.
“[This is] the worst-case timeline … is not a reflection on anything other than the construction schedule of what it takes to build this,” McMahon said, according to local television coverage of the meeting.
Readjustment of infrastructures
The later start reshapes the schedules of contractors and engineers involved in the project’s technically demanding and infrastructure-intensive industrial buildings. The New York State Public Utilities Commission in October approved a two-mile, 345-kV underground transmission line linking the existing Clay substation to the Micron campus, a key utility landmark.
Gov. Kathy Hochul, acknowledging the urgency of achieving state of readiness for the project, previously said the state “is moving quickly with full speed and due deliberation.” Heavy industry contractors note that extended preconstruction periods increase exposure to inflation and complicate workforce planning.
New York’s Green CHIPS incentive program, which offers up to $5.5 billion in credits tied to verified job creation and capital milestones, remains in place but will follow the revised schedule. Federal CHIPS Act funds administered through the US Department of Commerce are also dependent on construction progress.
“This DEIS reflects years of collaboration and diligence,” Rob Simpson, president and CEO of CenterState, a Syracuse-based business alliance, said in a statement. “At the same time, we want to emphasize the need for opportunity and momentum. Our region and our country need this project to get underway as soon as possible to ensure our national security and economic competitiveness.”
Industry analysts suggest the delay could exceed the two-year slippage cited in public filings. TrendForce reported on Nov. 10 that Micron’s second factory might not open until late 2033, while Digitimes Asia said some CHIPS Act funds could be redirected to Micron’s Idaho facility.
A Nov. 10 Tom’s Hardware brief echoed those findings, citing inside sources that predicted a multi-year restructuring of Micron’s U.S. manufacturing program. Locally, CNY Central reported community unrest over the project’s revised schedule and 49-year property tax agreement with Onondaga County.
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County officials said cleanup work on the site and utility corridor will continue through the end of 2025, ahead of the big buildout in 2026. ENR could not reach Micron for reports of timelines extending beyond the 2030 target.
Micron’s fab four campus, which covers 1,377 acres and is expected to create more than 50,000 jobs, including about 9,000 direct Micron positions, according to the governor’s office, remains central to the federal push to expand domestic semiconductor manufacturing.
Company and state officials have said the site could produce about a quarter of all semiconductors made in the United States by 2030.
