WASHINGTON, July 17 (Reuters) - The U.S. Commerce Department said on Wednesday it planned to award Taiwan's GlobalWafers (6488.TWO), opens new tab up to $400 million in government grants to significantly increase production of silicon wafers. The funds for projects in Texas and Missouri would establish the first U.S. production of 300-mm wafers for advanced semiconductors and expand production of silicon-on-insulator wafers, the Commerce Department said.