Convert Kilowatts (kW) to Megawatts (MW)

Q: How many kW is 1 MW?

Exactly 1,000 kW. This is an exact SI definition.

Q: How many homes can 1 MW power?

About 750 average US homes. The average US household uses ~1.25 kW continuously (10,500 kWh/year ÷ 8,760 hours), so 1,000 kW ÷ 1.25 ≈ 800, minus transmission losses.

Q: What is the difference between kW and kWh?

kW = power (rate). kWh = energy (total consumption). A 5 kW solar system producing for 4 peak hours generates 20 kWh of energy.

1 kilowatt equals 0.001 megawatts.

Formula: MW = kW × 0.001

Kilowatt to Megawatt Converter

What Is a Kilowatt?

The kilowatt (kW) is an SI unit of power equal to 1,000 watts. It is the standard for household and commercial power: appliance ratings, solar panel systems, EV chargers, and electricity bills (priced per kWh) all use kilowatts.

What Is a Megawatt?

The megawatt (MW) is an SI unit of power equal to 1,000 kilowatts or 1,000,000 watts. It is used for power plant capacity, wind and solar farm output, and large-scale industrial power ratings.

Kilowatts to Megawatts Formula

The conversion is exact by SI definition:

megawatts = kilowatts ÷ 1,000 exact

Both units use SI prefixes: kilo = 10³, mega = 10⁶. The ratio is always exactly 1,000.

Worked Example

Convert 5,000 kW (a medium solar farm) to megawatts:

Divide: 5,000 ÷ 1,000 = 5 MW

Common Kilowatts to Megawatts Conversions

Kilowatts	Megawatts	Context
1 kW	0.001 MW	Microwave oven / toaster
5 kW	0.005 MW	Residential solar system
10 kW	0.01 MW	Large residential solar array
50 kW	0.05 MW	DC fast charger (Level 3 EV)
100 kW	0.1 MW	Small commercial solar / Tesla Supercharger
500 kW	0.5 MW	Small wind turbine / backup generator
1,000 kW	1 MW	Powers ~750 US homes (average)
2,500 kW	2.5 MW	Typical onshore wind turbine
5,000 kW	5 MW	Medium solar farm / offshore turbine
100,000 kW	100 MW	Small gas-fired power plant
1,000,000 kW	1,000 MW	1 GW — large nuclear reactor

When You Need This Conversion

Solar and wind energy: Residential systems are rated in kW (5-15 kW); commercial installations in MW. A 100-panel residential system at 400 W each = 40 kW = 0.04 MW.
Energy reports: Utility reports list generation in MW, but building loads in kW. A 50 MW solar farm can power about 37,500 homes at 1.33 kW average each.
EV infrastructure: Individual chargers are rated in kW (7-350 kW); charging networks are described in MW of total capacity.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many kW is 1 MW?

Exactly 1,000 kW. This is an exact SI definition.

How many homes can 1 MW power?

About 750 average US homes. The average US household uses ~1.25 kW continuously (10,500 kWh/year ÷ 8,760 hours), so 1,000 kW ÷ 1.25 ≈ 800, minus transmission losses.

How do I convert MW back to kW?

Multiply by 1,000. Example: 2.5 MW × 1,000 = 2,500 kW.

What is the difference between kW and kWh?

kW = power (rate). kWh = energy (total consumption). A 5 kW solar system producing for 4 peak hours generates 20 kWh of energy.

Common Kilowatt to Megawatt Conversions

Kilowatt to Megawatt (Part 1)

Kilowatt	Megawatt	Actions
100 kilowatts	0.1 megawatts
500 kilowatts	12 megawatts

Kilowatt to Megawatt (Part 2)

Kilowatt	Megawatt	Actions
1000 kilowatts	1 megawatt

Kilowatts to megawatts Conversion Table

Reference table with common kilowatts to megawatts conversions. All values calculated with high precision.

Kilowatts to Megawatts Table
0.1 to 500

Kilowatts	Megawatts	Actions
0.1 kW	0.0001 MW
14 kW	0.00025 MW
12 kW	0.0005 MW
1 kW	0.001 MW
2 12 kW	0.0025 MW
5 kW	0.005 MW
10 kW	0.01 MW
25 kW	0.025 MW
50 kW	0.05 MW
100 kW	0.1 MW
250 kW	14 MW
500 kW	12 MW

Kilowatts to Megawatts Table
1000 to 1 × 10⁸

Kilowatts	Megawatts	Actions
1000 kW	1 MW
2500 kW	2 12 MW
5000 kW	5 MW
10000 kW	10 MW
25000 kW	25 MW
50000 kW	50 MW
100000 kW	100 MW
250000 kW	250 MW
500000 kW	500 MW
1000000 kW	1000 MW
2500000 kW	2500 MW
5000000 kW	5000 MW
10000000 kW	10000 MW
2.5 × 10⁷ kW	25000 MW
5 × 10⁷ kW	50000 MW
1 × 10⁸ kW	100000 MW

Megawatts to Kilowatts Table
0.0001 to 12

Megawatts	Kilowatts	Actions
0.0001 MW	0.1 kW
0.00025 MW	14 kW
0.0005 MW	12 kW
0.001 MW	1 kW
0.0025 MW	2 12 kW
0.005 MW	5 kW
0.01 MW	10 kW
0.025 MW	25 kW
0.05 MW	50 kW
0.1 MW	100 kW
14 MW	250 kW
12 MW	500 kW

Megawatts to Kilowatts Table
1 to 100000

Megawatts	Kilowatts	Actions
1 MW	1000 kW
2 12 MW	2500 kW
5 MW	5000 kW
10 MW	10000 kW
25 MW	25000 kW
50 MW	50000 kW
100 MW	100000 kW
250 MW	250000 kW
500 MW	500000 kW
1000 MW	1000000 kW
2500 MW	2500000 kW
5000 MW	5000000 kW
10000 MW	10000000 kW
25000 MW	2.5 × 10⁷ kW
50000 MW	5 × 10⁷ kW
100000 MW	1 × 10⁸ kW

Looking for the reverse? Convert Megawatt to Kilowatt

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Conversion factors verified against NIST, BIPM, ISO 80000-4 Based on SI base units (W = J/s, BIPM). Last reviewed: April 2026

By Adilson Fernandes

Reviewed by Tiago Fernandes

All unit conversions on CoolConversion use conversion factors defined or documented by internationally recognised standards bodies (such as ISO and NIST), including both SI and non-SI units.