Convert Gigawatts (GW) to Megawatts (MW)
1 gigawatt equals 1000 megawatts.
Gigawatt to Megawatt Converter
What Is a Gigawatt?
The gigawatt (GW) is an SI unit of power equal to 1,000 megawatts or one billion watts (10⁹ W). It is used to describe national power grid capacity, large nuclear reactors, and aggregate generation portfolios. The entire US grid has about 1,200 GW of installed capacity.
What Is a Megawatt?
The megawatt (MW) is an SI unit of power equal to 1,000 kilowatts or one million watts (10⁶ W). It is the standard unit for individual power plants, wind turbines, solar farms, and large industrial installations.
Gigawatts to Megawatts Formula
The conversion is exact by SI definition:
megawatts = gigawatts × 1,000
Both units use SI prefixes: giga = 10⁹, mega = 10⁶. The ratio is always exactly 1,000.
Worked Example
Convert 1.21 GW to megawatts:
- Multiply: 1.21 × 1,000 = 1,210 MW
Common Gigawatts to Megawatts Conversions
| Gigawatts | Megawatts | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 0.001 GW | 1 MW | Small gas turbine |
| 0.01 GW | 10 MW | Offshore wind turbine (modern) |
| 0.1 GW | 100 MW | Small power plant / large solar farm |
| 0.5 GW | 500 MW | Large coal or gas plant |
| 1 GW | 1,000 MW | Large nuclear reactor unit |
| 1.21 GW | 1,210 MW | Back to the Future flux capacitor |
| 2 GW | 2,000 MW | Nuclear power station (2 units) |
| 5 GW | 5,000 MW | Large hydroelectric dam |
| 10 GW | 10,000 MW | Country-scale wind portfolio |
| 22.5 GW | 22,500 MW | Three Gorges Dam (world's largest) |
| 100 GW | 100,000 MW | Major country's solar capacity |
When You Need This Conversion
- Energy policy: National targets are set in GW ("50 GW of offshore wind by 2030"), but individual projects are in MW. 50 GW = 50,000 MW = roughly 5,000 turbines at 10 MW each.
- Grid planning: Grid capacity reports use GW; plant-level data uses MW. The UK grid has ~85 GW capacity = 85,000 MW.
- Investment analysis: Energy projects are valued per MW installed. A 1.5 GW nuclear plant at $10M/MW = $15 billion investment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many MW in 1 GW?
Exactly 1,000 MW. This is an exact SI definition.
What is the largest power plant in GW?
The Three Gorges Dam in China at 22.5 GW (22,500 MW) nameplate capacity. The largest nuclear plant is Kashiwazaki-Kariwa in Japan at 7.965 GW.
How many homes can 1 GW power?
About 750,000 average US homes (1 GW = 1,000 MW, each MW powers ~750 homes at average US consumption).
What is 1.21 gigawatts in megawatts?
1,210 MW — the power needed for the flux capacitor in Back to the Future. Roughly equal to one large nuclear reactor.
Common Gigawatt to Megawatt Conversions
| Gigawatt | Megawatt | Actions |
|---|---|---|
| 1 gigawatt | 1000 megawatts | |
| 5 gigawatts | 5000 megawatts |
| Gigawatt | Megawatt | Actions |
|---|---|---|
| 10 gigawatts | 10000 megawatts |
Gigawatts to megawatts Conversion Table
Reference table with common gigawatts to megawatts conversions. All values calculated with high precision.
Gigawatts to Megawatts Table
1 to 100000
Megawatts to Gigawatts Table
1000 to 1 × 108
Looking for the reverse? Convert Megawatt to Gigawatt
Related Power Converters
Explore other power conversion tools:
Related in other categories:
- Joules to kWh — Energy = power × time (kWh = kW × hours)
