Notification message

Kilowatt to Megawatt Converter

Convert power units: Kilowatts (kW) ↔ Megawatts (MW) — accurate for energy systems, power plants, and electrical engineering.

Select conversion direction:

Power Conversion Formula (SI Standard):

1 Megawatt = 1000 Kilowatts | 1 Kilowatt = 0.001 Megawatts

MW = kW × 0.001 | kW = MW × 1000 (Results: 3 decimal places)

*SI unit definition: 1 Watt (W) = 1 J/s; 1 kW = 10³ W; 1 MW = 10⁶ W → 1 MW = 1000 kW

Kilowatts (kW)

Medium power unit: Industrial machinery, commercial buildings, small power plants

Megawatts (MW)

Display format:

Quick conversions (common power ratings) - click to auto-fill:

Share This Tool

Useful for energy projects or engineering work? Share with engineers, energy planners, or anyone working with power systems:

About Kilowatts and Megawatts

Understanding power units for energy systems, engineering, and electricity generation.

Power Unit Comparison (SI Standard)

Unit	Symbol	Conversion Factor	Common Uses
Kilowatt	kW	1 kW = 0.001 MW = 1000 W = 1.34102 HP	Industrial machinery, commercial buildings, residential backup generators, small wind turbines, solar farms (medium-scale)
Megawatt	MW	1 MW = 1000 kW = 1,000,000 W = 1341.02 HP	Power plants (coal, gas, hydro, nuclear), large wind/solar farms, regional power grids, industrial complexes

Common Power Conversion Examples (3 decimal places)

Kilowatts (kW)	≈	Megawatts (MW)	Application
50	≈	0.050	Small commercial building HVAC system
250	≈	0.250	Medium manufacturing plant
1,000	≈	1.000	Small hydroelectric power plant
50,000	≈	50.000	Medium-sized wind farm (20 turbines)
1,000,000	≈	1000.000	Large nuclear power plant

Key Note: Power Unit Scale for Energy Projects

Understanding the power scale helps in selecting the right unit for different applications:

Power Range	Preferred Unit	Typical Projects	Industry Sector
1-999 kW	Kilowatt (kW)	Residential/commercial backup, small factories	Building services, small manufacturing
1-999 MW	Megawatt (MW)	Medium power plants, large wind/solar farms	Energy generation, industrial complexes
1000+ MW	Gigawatt (GW)	Large nuclear/coal plants, national grids	Utility-scale energy, power transmission

Frequently Asked Questions

About kilowatts, megawatts, and power conversions

Why is 1 megawatt equal to 1000 kilowatts?

The conversion factor comes from the International System of Units (SI) prefix definitions:

SI prefixes define decimal multiples of base units (in this case, the watt).
"Kilo-" (k) is a prefix meaning 10³ (1000), so 1 kilowatt = 1000 watts.
"Mega-" (M) is a prefix meaning 10⁶ (1,000,000), so 1 megawatt = 1,000,000 watts.
Calculation: 1 MW = 10⁶ W = 1000 × 10³ W = 1000 kW (exact SI definition).

Precise factor: 1 MW = 1000.0 kW (exact, no rounding needed for engineering applications)

Practical use: 1-3 decimal places are sufficient for most energy and engineering needs

When should I use kilowatts vs. megawatts for power measurements?

The choice depends on power scale and application type:

Kilowatts (kW): Ideal for medium-scale power systems. Used for residential/commercial backup generators, small industrial machinery, commercial building HVAC systems, and small renewable energy installations (solar panels, small wind turbines). Practical for power ratings below 1000 kW.
Megawatts (MW): Preferred for large-scale power systems. Used for power plants (coal, gas, hydro, nuclear), large wind/solar farms, industrial complexes, and regional power grid planning. Makes large power ratings more manageable (e.g., 500 MW is easier to interpret than 500,000 kW).

How do I convert these units to other power units (horsepower, gigawatts)?

Use these cross-unit conversion factors for full power measurement flexibility:

1 Kilowatt (kW) = 1.34102 Horsepower (HP) = 0.001 Megawatts (MW) = 0.000001 Gigawatts (GW)

1 Megawatt (MW) = 1341.02 Horsepower (HP) = 1000 Kilowatts (kW) = 0.001 Gigawatts (GW)

1 Gigawatt (GW) = 1,341,020 Horsepower (HP) = 1,000,000 Kilowatts (kW) = 1000 Megawatts (MW)

Practical cross-conversion examples:

500 kW = 500 × 1.34102 = 670.51 HP = 500 × 0.001 = 0.5 MW
25 MW = 25 × 1341.02 = 33,525.5 HP = 25 × 1000 = 25,000 kW
1.5 GW = 1.5 × 1000 = 1500 MW = 1.5 × 1,000,000 = 1,500,000 kW

These conversions are essential for engineers, energy planners, and anyone working across international power standards or different industry sectors.

More Power Converter Tools

Power Converter

hp to kw

hp to kw, kw to hp, power converter, unit conversion, horsepower to kilowatt, hp to kwa, hp a kw, horsepower to kw, hp en kw, en kw, horse power to kw, hp to kilowatts

Convert between Horsepower and Kilowatts with this accurate power unit converter. Supports both directions and provides detailed conversion information.

Try Converter

kw to hp

kw to hp, hp to kw, kilowatts to horsepower, power converter, kw hp conversion, engine power, kw convert hp, kilo watt to horse power, kw a hp, kw hp, kw and hp, transfer kw to hp, kw in horse power,

Accurate kW to HP converter for power measurements. Convert kilowatts to horsepower and vice versa with engineering precision for automotive, industrial, and mechanical applications.

Try Converter

watts to hp

watts to horsepower, W to hp, power converter, engine power conversion, w to horsepower, conversion w to hp, watt and horsepower, convert watts to hp

Convert power between watts and horsepower for engines, motors, and electrical devices.

Try Converter

kw to ks

kilowatt to pferdestarke, kw to ps, power conversion, engine power calculator

Convert kilowatts to pferdestarke (metric horsepower) and vice versa instantly. 1 kW ≈ 1.3596 PS — essential for engine power calculations.

Try Converter

Volt Ampere to Megawatt

volt ampere to megawatt, VA to MW, power converter, electrical power units, amps to megawatts

Convert volt ampere (VA) to megawatt (MW) and vice versa with precision. 1 VA = 1×10⁻⁶ MW — essential for power system calculations.

Try Converter