Zelienople took another step toward joining the ranks of so-called smart cities, after council approved a resolution at its Monday meeting to pursue funding for an advanced metering system.

If finalized, the borough would replace its current electric meters with an advanced, or smart, metering system which would monitor electricity and water usage. These meters would be connected to a wireless network, allowing borough employees to keep track of the data and send commands to the meters.

The next step is for the borough to get state Department of Community & Economic Development approval to apply for a loan to cover the $1.2 million cost.

Jared Price, chief technology officer at American Municipal Power, the Ohio-based nonprofit that sells Zelienople its power, presented the project details to council this week.

“You're going to have a level of visibility in your distribution system that you've never had before,” Price said. “That will allow you to more effectively manage and maintain your electric distribution system and also (manage) information on your water distribution as well.”

The $1.2 million overall cost would cover initial services and upkeep, down from an estimate given last year of $1.5 million.