The smart monitoring frameworks including wide area measurement system (WAMS) with phasor measurement units (PMUs) provide key technologies for state estimation, system protections and control of widely spread power grids. A direct, more precise and accurate monitoring can be achieved by the technique of phasor measurements and global positioning system (GPS) time signal. Proper grasp of the present state with flexible supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) address significant elements to maintain wide-area stability in the complicated grid with the growing penetration of distributed generation and renewable energy sources. In response to the existing challenge of integrating advanced metering, computation, communication and control into appropriate levels of smart grid synthesis and operation, this speech provides a brief coverage for applications of intelligent technologies in smart grids. Due to the speaker background, the speech is mainly focused on the application examples of intelligent technologies in Japanese electric system utilities. Artificial intelligent applications in power system planning and control/restoration are addressed; next steps and future implementations are explained.