Philadelphia's Former Refinery Site May Host Data Center, Sparking Debate

A planning commission identified the Bellwether District as one of two possible sites for a large data center, though no formal proposal exists yet. The site, a former refinery, is being remediated for nonresidential use, limiting options like parks or housing. Critics worry about the environmental and community impacts of heavy industrial development.

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The Bellwether District spans 1,300 acres along the Delaware River, acquired by HRP Group after the 2019 fire that shuttered the refinery. Cleanup efforts, coordinated with federal and state agencies, have been limited to making the land safe for industrial use, not residential or recreational purposes. The site currently hosts a beverage manufacturer and a nuclear-medicine firm, with two of twelve planned warehouses completed.

The Planning Commission's identification of the site stems from its size, zoning, and vacancy. Exelon's April briefing to regional grid operator PJM proposed a new substation to serve a hypothetical data center there. HRP has acknowledged entertaining data