Convert Megawatts to Terawatts
Convert Megawatts (MW) to Terawatts (TW) instantly and accurately.
Conversion Formula
TW = MW × 1.000000000e-6
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.
About Terawatts
A terawatt (TW) is 10¹² W. All of human civilisation consumes ~17-18 TW (electricity + heat + transport combined); global electricity generation alone is ~9 TW. Solar irradiance intercepted by Earth is ~174,000 TW; photosynthesis captures ~130 TW. The National Ignition Facility (NIF) fusion laser produces pulses of ~500 TW lasting nanoseconds. High-power laser facilities for nuclear physics and ICF research routinely exceed 1 TW in ultrashort pulse regimes. 1 TW = 10¹² W.
Quick Reference Table
| Megawatts (MW) | Terawatts (TW) |
|---|---|
| 1 MW | 1 × 10-6 TW |
| 2 MW | 2 × 10-6 TW |
| 5 MW | 5 × 10-6 TW |
| 10 MW | 1 × 10-5 TW |
| 25 MW | 2.5 × 10-5 TW |
| 50 MW | 5 × 10-5 TW |
| 100 MW | 1 × 10-4 TW |