Shapiro Administration Breaks Ground on New TerraPower Isotopes Manufacturing Facility in Philadelphia

  • May 6, 2026

Governor Josh Shapiro recently announced the nuclear innovation company chose Philadelphia’s Bellwether District over hundreds of other sites across the U.S. for this new facility.

TerraPower Isotopes $450 million project will create at least 225 new jobs and further boost Pennsylvania’s economy and robust life sciences industry.

Since taking office, Governor Shapiro and his Administration have secured over $41 billion in private sector investments, creating nearly 23,000​ jobs across the Commonwealth.

Secretary Rick Siger Breaks Ground on New TerraPower Isotopes Manufacturing Facility in Philadelphia

Philadelphia, PA – Today, Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Rick Siger highlighted Pennsylvania’s $10 million investment supporting TerraPower Isotopes project at a groundbreaking ceremony for the nuclear innovation company’s new radioisotope manufacturing facility that will help develop cancer-fighting drugs in Philadelphia’s Bellwether District. The $450 million project, announced by Governor Josh Shapiro in March, will create at least 225 new jobs in Pennsylvania’s strong life sciences industry.

TerraPower Isotopes’ 250,000-square-foot facility will produce actinium-225 for use in the development of cancer treatments. The company will be another major tenant at the Bellwether District, a 1,300-acre state-of-the-art commercial redevelopment project underway in South and Southwest Philadelphia that is reimagining the former Philadelphia Energy Solutions refinery into a hub for economic development, advanced manufacturing, and innovation.

Before selecting the Bellwether District, TerraPower Isotopes evaluated more than 350 potential sites across the United States in a rigorous site selection process that included 49 site visits in eight metropolitan areas.

“Pennsylvania is aggressively competing for — and winning — major innovation projects, and today’s groundbreaking with TerraPower Isotopes is proof of that,” said Secretary Siger. “Our strategic $10 million grant helped to secure more than $450 million in private investment that will create hundreds of high-quality jobs, further positioning Pennsylvania as a national and global leader in life sciences.”

The funding proposal provided by DCED to TerraPower Isotopes included a $7 million grant through the PA SITES (Pennsylvania Strategic Investments to Enhance Sites) Program, and a $3 million Pennsylvania First grant. Additionally, because the Bellwether District is in a Keystone Opportunity Zone with a term that runs through 2043, the company will also receive those tax benefits.

The Pennsylvania First Program, which connects businesses with trained workers and supports job retention and capital investments, would receive an additional $10 million in Governor Shapiro’s proposed 2026-27 budget, for a total of $38 million.

“TerraPower was created to improve the world through nuclear energy and science. Breaking ground today on the Bellwether Laboratory represents a defining chapter in TerraPower’s history—and in the history of actinium-225 manufacturing,” said Chris Levesque, President and CEO, TerraPower. “This new flagship, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility will produce actinium-225 at a scale the industry has never seen before, providing global pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies with the reliable, large-volume supply they need to advance their clinical programs and ultimately expand cancer treatment options for patients.”

“Today, TerraPower Isotopes celebrates breaking ground on the world’s most advanced actinium-225 manufacturing site,” said Scott Claunch, President, TerraPower Isotopes. “The Bellwether Laboratory is purpose-built to meet the needs of a growing industry that is working to transform how cancer is treated. With a highly trained and dedicated team, we are thrilled to be building our flagship facility right here in Philadelphia.”

The Bellwether District is a project of HRP Group, a vertically integrated real estate investment company focused on the transformation of complex industrial sites.

“Today isn’t just the start of a construction project; it’s the start of an ecosystem where a changing landscape will change lives,” said Andrew Chused, Chief Investment Officer, HRP Group. ” At HRP, unabashed optimism and the relentless pursuit of what’s possible are in our DNA, and in TerraPower Isotopes we’ve found an innovator who shares that commitment to breaking boundaries and solving the unsolvable. Their decision to locate at The Bellwether District and advance the next wave of targeted alpha therapies builds on Philadelphia’s legacy of innovation and strengthens its world-class ecosystem.”

The Commonwealth has also invested an additional $40 million in Transportation Infrastructure Improvement Funds to support improvements to state roadways to facilitate the integration of the Bellwether District site into the surrounding transportation network.

This project is another example of how the Shapiro Administration is focused on supporting Pennsylvania’s biotech ecosystem. Life sciences companies like Johnson & Johnson, Eli Lilly, Eurofins Lancaster Laboratories, B. Braun, and GSK have announced major expansions in Pennsylvania, bringing new jobs and R&D investments into the Commonwealth.

This project was coordinated by Governor Shapiro’s BusinessPA team, an experienced group of economic development professionals dedicated to helping businesses succeed in Pennsylvania through tailored guidance, strategic partnerships, and financial resources. Whether based in the Commonwealth, another state, or across the globe, the team moves at the speed of business to set up companies for long-term growth and success here in Pennsylvania.

Since taking office, Governor Shapiro and his Administration have secured over $41 billion in private sector investments, creating nearly 23,000​ jobs.

Analysis from Moody’s Analytics Chief Economist Mark Zandi confirms that Pennsylvania remains the only state in the Northeast with a growing economy. Governor Shapiro is committed to making Pennsylvania an economic development leader ― his 2026-27 state budget continues to focus on boosting the Commonwealth’s economic potential and growing the economy.

For more information about the Department of Community and Economic Development, visit the DCED website, and be sure to stay up-to-date with all of our agency news on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.

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