Convert Electrical Horsepower to Megawatts
Convert Electrical Horsepower (hp(E)) to Megawatts (MW) instantly and accurately.
Conversion Formula
MW = hp(E) × 0.000746
About Electrical Horsepower
The electrical horsepower (hp(E)) is defined as exactly 746 W - the US NEMA rounding used on electric motor nameplates. It differs from mechanical hp (745.7 W) by only 0.04%. Every NEMA-rated motor in the US carries a horsepower nameplate: a '5 hp motor' delivers 5 × 746 = 3,730 W. NEC motor branch-circuit sizing tables, overload relay selection, and starter ratings are all based on hp(E). Despite global kW adoption, US industrial motor infrastructure remains standardised in electrical horsepower. 1 hp(E) = 746 W.
About Megawatts
A megawatt (MW) is 10⁶ W - the standard unit for utility power plant output. A coal unit produces 300-900 MW; a large nuclear reactor 1,000-1,600 MW. Offshore wind turbines reach 15 MW each (Vestas V236-15.0). The Three Gorges Dam totals 22,500 MW. Aluminium smelters consume 500-600 MW; electric arc furnaces 100-300 MW. Solar farms are rated in MWp; pharmaceutical clean-room HVAC systems in MW. 1 MW = 10⁶ W = 1,341 mechanical hp.
Quick Reference Table
| Electrical Horsepower (hp(E)) | Megawatts (MW) |
|---|---|
| 1 hp(E) | 0.000746 MW |
| 2 hp(E) | 0.001492 MW |
| 5 hp(E) | 0.00373 MW |
| 10 hp(E) | 0.00746 MW |
| 25 hp(E) | 0.01865 MW |
| 50 hp(E) | 0.0373 MW |
| 100 hp(E) | 0.0746 MW |