In 1 gigawatts there are 1,000 megawatts. Meanwhile in 1 megawatts there are 0.001 gigawatts. Keep reading to learn more about each unit of measure and how they are calculated. Or just use the Megawatts to Gigawatts calculator above to convert any number.
* Values rounded to 6 decimal places for readability
To convert gigawatts (GW) to megawatts (MW), use this fixed scale:
Quick examples
Tip: This works because both units measure power in watts, and the prefixes set the size (giga = 10⁹, mega = 10⁶).
One gigawatt equals 1,000 megawatts.
1 GW = 1,000 MW
Multiply the gigawatt value by 1,000.
Example: 2.5 GW × 1,000 = 2,500 MW
Use this simple formula:
MW = GW × 1,000
Divide the megawatt value by 1,000.
Example: 7,500 MW ÷ 1,000 = 7.5 GW
A megawatt is a unit of power equal to 1,000,000 watts.
A gigawatt is larger. It equals 1,000 megawatts, or 1,000,000,000 watts.
Gigawatts often describe grid-scale power, while megawatts fit single plants.
They measure power, not energy. Power is a rate, like speed.
Energy adds time, like miles driven. For energy, you’ll see MWh or GWh.
These conversions can help with quick checks:
Power plants, wind farms, and solar farms produce large amounts of power.
Megawatts work well for a single site. Gigawatts fit totals across regions.
Using bigger units keeps numbers short and easy to compare.
Yes. The GW to MW conversion is common for capacity ratings.
Example: a 1.2 GW plant has 1,200 MW of capacity.
Capacity is the maximum output under set conditions.
No. The unit conversion stays the same because it’s math.
AC and DC can affect how power is measured and delivered, but not the factor.
1 GW is always 1,000 MW.
These rough examples help with scale (values vary by site):
Move the decimal three places to the right and add zeros if needed.
The Calculate Box tool to convert gigawatts to megawatts uses the open source script Convert.js to convert units of measurement. To use this tool, simply type a gigawatts value in the box and have it instantly converted to megawatts.