Abstract: In order to be adapted to the changes in the competitive situation of the power market and the rapid development of related technologies such as artificial intelligence, the construction of intelligentized thermal power plants has become a research hotspot inside and outside the industry as a relatively independent research and innovation field. However, there still exist many problems and challenges in the aspects of concept, technical routes and implementation strategies. On the basis of reviewing the development process of automation and intelligentization of thermal power plants in China and abroad, combined with the development status and trends of thermal power plant control technology and information technology, the definition and technical characteristics of intelligent thermal power plants as well as the architecture of intelligent thermal power plants are described in this paper. Besides, the key technical routes for the intelligent construction of thermal power plants are expounded from the aspects of the two main aspects, i.e., operation optimization and maintenance. Finally the potential problems that may be encountered and corresponding countermeasures in the construction of intelligentized thermal power plants are pointed out.