Nuclear science to join drink manufacturing at the former refinery site
TerraPower’s new manufacturing facility will be part of The Bellwether District’s Innovation Campus, where developer HRP Group plans to attract and cater to life sciences companies. Construction of the TerraPower building will start this spring, and the facility will begin operating by 2029, said Amelia Chassé Alcivar, executive vice president of corporate affairs at HRP Group, during a virtual community meeting Tuesday evening.
Late last year, canned drink manufacturer DrinkPAK announced plans to invest $195 million and lease a custom 1.4 million-square-foot building at The Bellwether District’s Industrial Campus. Two other warehouses have been built at the site.
The isotope TerraPower will manufacture is being tested as a cancer treatment through clinical trials.
While TerraPower plans to handle radioactive materials at the site, the facility will pose no health risks to nearby residents, according to the company.
“The radioactive materials are handled in highly controlled environments by trained professionals, with oversight from several regulatory bodies,” a spokesperson said in a statement. “Facilities are specifically designed with shielding, monitoring systems, and safety protocols to protect workers, the public, and the environment. The amounts of radioactive material involved are extremely small, carefully measured, and strictly tracked.”