Nuclear medicine company kicks off construction of new facility in Bellwether District

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia officials broke ground Wednesday on a project that will turn an old refinery into a lab that creates materials for cancer treatments.

TerraPower Isotopes is constructing a 250,000-square foot facility on the 3100 block of West Passyunk Avenue in the Bellwether District that will produce actinium-225, a rare isotope made from weapons grade uranium. It is used in an experimental cancer therapy that currently costs tens of thousands of dollars.

“It's being used in human trials around the world, and we're advancing cancer treatments along the way,” said TerraPower Isotopes President Scott Claunch.

“This facility at the Bellwether District in Philadelphia will be the largest actinium-225 production facility ever built. When it comes online in 2029, we will increase global production capacity by 20 times.”

TerraPower is investing $450 million in the site alongside $10 million in state grants, which could grow to $38 million in the coming years. It is also receiving many state and local tax breaks and waivers — though new employees will pay city wage taxes.

During the groundbreaking ceremony, City Council President Kenyatta Johnson credited the developers who wanted to revitalize the former Philadelphia Energy Solutions Refinery site.

“They came with their money and, most importantly, a vision to invest in revitalizing this particular site to focus on business growth and development,” Johnson said. “Every time we get a chance to come down to this particular site, we're doing a ribbon cutting and we're getting a shovel. It's all about jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs.”

The refinery was destroyed in a massive fire in 2019, leaving behind the 1,300-acre site that has been rebranded as the Bellwether District.

Officials said TerraPower’s investment will create about 225 full-time jobs. Claunch remarked Philadelphia has everything the new facility needs.

“Very few cities have the infrastructure, the talent pool, the proxy to pharmaceutical companies, the world class research communities that are driving this technology forward,” he said. “Philadelphia checked each of those boxes.”