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Schumer announces Albany NanoTech as NSTC EUV Accelerator to lead U.S. semiconductor innovation
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$825 Million CHIPS Act funding to drive job growth and high-tech development in Upstate New York
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Albany NanoTech to pioneer EUV Lithography for advanced chip manufacturing and national security
ALBANY—Albany NanoTech has been officially designated as the first flagship facility of the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC), U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer announced Wednesday, Jan. 15.
The agreement, finalized between NY CREATES and Natcast, secures an $825 million federal investment under the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act.
The Albany facility will serve as the NSTC Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Accelerator, focusing on research and development of EUV lithography—a critical technology used in producing advanced semiconductor chips that power smartphones, computers, vehicles, and artificial intelligence systems. The EUV lab will be housed in a $410 million building currently under construction on the Albany NanoTech campus.
“With the final agreement in place, Albany NanoTech and Upstate New York have secured their future as the epicenter for America’s semiconductor research,” Schumer stated. “America’s national security, our technological future, and our economy all rely on our country being able to produce the most cutting-edge chips.”
The NSTC EUV Accelerator is one of three federal labs forming the National Semiconductor Technology Center, with additional facilities in Tempe, Arizona, and Sunnyvale, California. The agreement ensures that funding remains intact regardless of changes in presidential administrations, providing long-term stability for the project.
Schumer highlighted the economic impact of the investment, emphasizing that the facility will create high-paying jobs and attract global companies to the region. He referenced other major developments in Upstate New York, including Micron’s $100 billion expansion in Syracuse and Wolfspeed’s chip fabrication facility in Utica, as evidence of the region’s growing high-tech industry.
Officials anticipate that breakthroughs at the EUV lab will draw additional investments and drive economic growth across Upstate New York. “Historic breakthroughs researchers today cannot even fathom are going to happen in Albany thanks to this federal investment,” Schumer added.
The $825 million funding is part of the $52 billion CHIPS and Science Act, which Schumer authored in 2022 to bolster domestic semiconductor manufacturing and strengthen national security. Construction and development at the Albany NanoTech campus are expected to accelerate with this secured investment.
The selection was first announced last October as part of a national effort to strengthen the U.S. semiconductor industry, driven by the CHIPS and Science Act, which aims to boost domestic technology research and development.
The NSTC designation brings an Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUV) Accelerator to Albany NanoTech, enhancing the complex’s capabilities to support semiconductor research and development.
EUV technology is critical for manufacturing advanced microchips, which are essential to a variety of sectors, including consumer electronics and national defense.
According to federal and state officials, the facility is expected to serve as a central point for research, bringing together industry leaders, academic institutions, and government agencies.
The facility will be one of only two public locations in the world equipped with advanced EUV tools once it becomes operational later this year. This technology enables the production of increasingly compact and efficient chips.
Albany NanoTech’s designation as a national flagship facility underscores New York’s broader role in the semiconductor industry. State leaders, including Governor Kathy Hochul, have prioritized attracting high-tech manufacturing, citing its potential economic and strategic benefits.
“Thanks to the winning combination of federal CHIPS funding and New York’s determination and ingenuity, the Albany NanoTech Complex will be home to the CHIPS for America EUV Accelerator,” Hochul said in a statement. “This center will fuel America’s advanced manufacturing renaissance.”
Local stakeholders, such as the University at Albany and the Center for Economic Growth, have also voiced support for the NSTC’s establishment at Albany NanoTech, noting that the federal funding and expanded research capacity could attract further investment and talent to the region.
“The designation of NY CREATES’ Albany NanoTech Complex as the location of the CHIPS for America EUV Accelerator will help us maintain our status as a global leader in such a vital industry,” U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said in October.
The NSTC’s placement in Albany aligns with a series of recent investments in New York’s semiconductor infrastructure, including a proposed memory megafab by Micron near Syracuse and expanded facilities by GlobalFoundries in the Capital Region. The Albany NSTC will collaborate with these facilities and others nationwide to advance U.S.-based semiconductor manufacturing and research.
The NSTC designation is part of a multifaceted approach within the CHIPS and Science Act to enhance U.S. competitiveness in semiconductor technology. The legislation aims to reduce reliance on overseas manufacturing by bolstering domestic chip production capabilities, particularly in areas deemed critical for national security. Other NSTC facilities focusing on administrative functions and advanced packaging are expected to be announced in the future.
As part of its NSTC designation, Albany NanoTech will provide EUV research access to semiconductor companies, universities, and government agencies involved in chip development, enabling research collaboration and knowledge sharing across the industry.
