Convert Gigawatts to Megawatts
Convert Gigawatts (GW) to Megawatts (MW) instantly and accurately.
Conversion Formula
MW = GW × 1000
About Gigawatts
A gigawatt (GW) is 10⁹ W - the scale of national grid capacity. UK peak demand is 40-70 GW; France 80-100 GW. Japan's Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear complex totals 8.2 GW. World installed solar PV surpassed 1,000 GW in 2022. The North Sea Link Norway-UK undersea cable carries 1.4 GW. Global data centre consumption exceeds 200 GW. A lightning bolt peaks at ~1 GW for ~30 µs, yielding only ~250 kJ total energy - power is extreme, energy modest. 1 GW = 10⁹ 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
| Gigawatts (GW) | Megawatts (MW) |
|---|---|
| 1 GW | 1000 MW |
| 2 GW | 2000 MW |
| 5 GW | 5000 MW |
| 10 GW | 10000 MW |
| 25 GW | 25000 MW |
| 50 GW | 50000 MW |
| 100 GW | 100000 MW |