The proposed Micron semi-conductor chip fab plant is about an hour away from Herkimer, but it was among the main topics during an economic forum for Herkimer County. The New York State Industrial Development Agency Senior Director Jennifer Waters addressed how much money is going into the semi-conductor industry.
“No other industry is growing as fast. We expect by the end of the decade that the semi-conductor industry is going to hit one trillion dollars.”
Herkimer and the surrounding counties are expecting financial gain from the Micron Plant. Waters said there are a few select companies that have already been targeted for direct business, and there’s a host of other requirements that need to be filled.
“The biggest thing we have that we can offer companies is infrastructure. It’s access to water, it’s access to power. It really sets us apart across the US. It’s our transportation infrastructure. We really have everything companies need to be successful.”
Herkimer College is working to match industry needs with training, micro-credentials, and 2-year degree programs. The Herkimer IDA feels housing needs will increase, so there’s future development anticipated there. Micron isn’t the only big news for Herkimer County. There’s an aggressive redevelopment of the Remington site. There’s still some contamination cleanup work needed, but their biggest setback is sufficient electricity. Kristen O’Neill is the CEO of Turin Management, the company that now owns the Remington site.Â
“Before we start selling it, we got to start attaining things like power to make sure that they can do those things because I actually went to the market, soft market just to see what’s going on and there was just no interest. There was no interest. The only thing that seems to get people interested today in lands like the Remington site is power.”
If the state were to supply enough power to the site, John Piseck, the CEO of Herkimer County Industrial Development Agency, says the economic impact would be considerable.
“You’re talking with a 300-megawatt system, I’m going to maybe be a little off but maybe $3 billion worth of equipment.”
Kristen O’Neill says that Turin Management has filed applications with New York Independent System Operator for additional power. They will need to do a system impact study and a feasibility study first. O’Neill says n the meantime.
“We wait, and while we wait Turin is working very hard to with all its power to talk to the people in power and convince them that Herkimer County deserves the electrical power.”
The development of Micron in Syracuse and the former Remington site in Ilion were topics of discussion during at an economic forum at Herkimer College.