CRANBERRY TWP — U.S. Congressmen Jason Altmire, D-4th, and Tim Murphy, R-18th, on Friday unveiled legislation designed to boost development of America’s next generation of nuclear reactors, increasing the country’s energy independence.

Unveiling of the Nuclear Power 2021 Act, which supports development and licensing of small nuclear reactors, took place at the Westinghouse Electric Co.’s corporate headquarters before hundreds of employees.

Altmire said that the act facilitates the design and licensing of small modular reactors, or SMRs, and enables the U.S. Department of Energy to enter public/private partnerships that lowing the business risks of bringing small modular reactors to market.

The act is based on the Nuclear Power 2010 program, which helped Westinghouse meet the regulatory requirements for its AP-1000 nuclear reactor, which has created and sustained an estimated 5,000 jobs.

The AP-1000 reactor carries a price tag of $5 billion to $10 billion, producing 1,000 to 1,700 megawatts of power. The SMRs would cost about $750 million each and produce between 10 and 300 megawatts of power.

“We can literally be the capital of energy independence, of research and development, here in Western Pennsylvania,” Altmire said.

“The goal, by 2021, is to have at least two SMRs up and running in the country.”