In 1 megawatts there are 1,341.022089 horsepower. Meanwhile in 1 horsepower there are 0.000746 megawatts. Keep reading to learn more about each unit of measure and how they are calculated. Or just use the Horsepower to Megawatts calculator above to convert any number.
* Values rounded to 6 decimal places for readability
To convert megawatts (MW) to horsepower (hp), start with the right definition of horsepower. The most common types are mechanical horsepower and metric horsepower. Some industries also use hydraulic horsepower, which is based on fluid flow and pressure, not just electrical or shaft power.
MW to mechanical horsepower (hp):
Use 1 MW = 1,341.022 hp
Formula: hp = MW × 1,341.022
MW to metric horsepower (PS):
Use 1 MW = 1,359.622 PS
Formula: PS = MW × 1,359.622
Quick example:
For accurate MW to hp conversion, always match the horsepower type to your use case before you calculate.
Convert megawatts to horsepower by multiplying MW by a conversion factor.
They measure power with slightly different standards.
No, the number changes based on the horsepower type.
Using common horsepower types:
Using common horsepower types:
Divide horsepower by the matching conversion factor.
A few things can cause a mismatch:
Both measure power, but they often come from different contexts. Megawatts usually describe electrical or mechanical power at scale. Horsepower is often used for engines and motors. The conversion works cleanly, but the real system may add losses from heat, friction, and drive systems.
Most specs use mechanical horsepower (hp) or kilowatts/megawatts. Some regions use metric horsepower (PS). For electric motors, you may also see hpE in older or mixed-unit documents. Match the unit used in the equipment manual or nameplate.
The math is exact when you use the correct definitions for each unit. Errors usually come from rounding or from mixing horsepower types. For reporting, keep a few decimal places in MW, then round horsepower to a sensible whole number.
The Calculate Box tool to convert megawatts to horsepower uses the open source script Convert.js to convert units of measurement. To use this tool, simply type a megawatts value in the box and have it instantly converted to horsepower.