Convert Megawatts to Kilowatts
Megawatts to kilowatts is the conversion you need when a power-plant or large-motor rating in megawatts has to line up with equipment specced in kilowatts. One megawatt is exactly 1000 kilowatts, so the number grows by a thousand every time you switch from megawatts to kilowatts.
Megawatts to Kilowatts conversion table
| Megawatts (MW) | Kilowatts (kW) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1,000 |
| 2 | 2,000 |
| 3 | 3,000 |
| 5 | 5,000 |
| 10 | 10,000 |
| 20 | 20,000 |
| 50 | 50,000 |
| 100 | 100,000 |
| 500 | 500,000 |
| 1,000 | 1,000,000 |
The formula
To convert megawatts to kilowatts, multiply the number of megawatts by 1000:
kilowatts = megawatts × 1000
A worked example
Say you have 1.5 megawatts and want it in kilowatts:
1.5 × 1000 = 1500 kW
So 1.5 megawatts is exactly 1500 kilowatts.
Why the number is exact
Both units are built from the same SI prefixes: "mega" is exactly one million and "kilo" is exactly one thousand. That makes a megawatt exactly 1000 kilowatts — a clean, exact relationship with nothing rounded.
When you'll use it
Comparing a power-plant or large-motor rating in megawatts against equipment specced in kilowatts, and lining up big generating figures with the smaller units used on many spec sheets.
Frequently asked questions
How many kilowatts are in a megawatt?
Exactly 1000 kilowatts. A megawatt is a million watts and a kilowatt is a thousand watts, so a megawatt is a thousand kilowatts — no rounding involved.
Is the megawatts to kilowatts conversion exact?
Yes. A megawatt is exactly 1000 kilowatts by definition, so nothing is rounded away.
When would I convert megawatts to kilowatts?
Megawatts are power-plant and large-motor scale, while a lot of equipment and billing is written in kilowatts. Converting lets you compare a large generating figure against gear rated the smaller way.