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Megawatts to Kilowatts Converter

Enter a value to instantly convert between power units.

Precision4 dp

1 Megawatt = 1000 Kilowatt

Key Formulas

Kilowatt → Horsepower (mech)

hp = kW × 1.34102

Horsepower (mech) → Kilowatt

kW = hp × 0.7457

Watt → Kilowatt

kW = W × 0.001

Kilowatt → Watt

W = kW × 1000

Formula

kW = MW × 1000

Utility engineers report generation capacity in megawatts, while building engineers and equipment specifiers work in kilowatts. When a grid operator allocates 5 MW to a large campus, the facilities team needs to know that's 5,000 kW — then divide among chillers (1,000 kW each), lighting (200 kW), computing (1,500 kW), and so on. This MW-to-kW step is fundamental in facility power planning and renewable energy system design.

Source: NIST SP 811, Table B.8

Last reviewed: · see our methodology

Frequently Asked Questions

Real-World Examples

A 1 MW utility connection = 1,000 kW of available capacity — enough to supply a small industrial park or a large hospital campus.

1 MW = 1000 kW

A 0.5 MW rooftop solar system = 500 kW of peak generation — a large commercial installation covering 2,500–3,500 m² of panels.

0.5 MW = 500 kW

A 100 MW solar farm = 100,000 kW — allocated across thousands of inverters, each typically rated 100–1,000 kW.

100 MW = 100000 kW

A 2 MW wind turbine = 2,000 kW at rated wind speed — providing enough energy for about 1,200 average homes annually.

2 MW = 2000 kW