The visualizing energy flow and control in vibrating stiffened plates with a cutout are studied using finite element method. The vibration intensity, vibration energy and strain energy distribution of stiffened plates with cutout at different excitation frequencies are calculated respectively and visualized for the various cases. The cases of different size and boundaries conditions of cutouts are also investigated. It is found that the cutout or opening completely changes the paths and distributions of the energy flow in stiffened plate. The magnitude of energy flow is significantly larger at the edges near the cutout boundary. The position of maximum strain energy distribution is not corresponding to the position of maximum vibrational energy. Furthermore, the energy-based control using constrained damping layer (CDL) for vibration suppression is also analyzed. According to the energy distribution maps, the CDL patches are applied to the locations that have higher energy distribution at the targeted mode of vibration. The energy-based CDL treatments have produced significant attenuation of the vibration energy and strain energy. The present energy visualization technique and energy-based CDL treatments can be extended to the vibration control of vehicles structures.