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Convert Megawatts to Horsepower

1 megawatt is 1,341.02209 hp. One megawatt is exactly 1341.0220896 horsepower.

One megawatt is 1341.0221 horsepower. To convert megawatts to horsepower, multiply by 1341.0221; to go the other way, divide by 1341.0221 or multiply by 7.4570 × 10^-4. The factor is exact rather than rounded: it follows from NIST Special Publication 811. A million watts.

Factor checked against the defining standard · How we check

Horsepower
1,341.02209 hp
Megawatts × 1341.0221
value * 1341.02208961,341.022 hp

1 megawatt in every power unit

UnitValueExact factor
horsepower1,341.02209 hp× 1,341.0220896
metric horsepower1,359.621617 PS× 1,359.6216173
watts1,000,000 W× 1,000,000
kilowatts1,000 kW× 1,000
megawatts (as entered)1 MW
BTU per hour3,412,141.633 BTU/h× 3,412,141.63313

Factors are entered by hand from NIST Special Publication 811 rather than derived from a units library, so the ones that terminate are exact rather than rounded.

How do you convert megawatts to horsepower?

  1. 1.Take the measurement in megawatts.
  2. 2.Multiply by 1341.0221 — that is how many horsepower fit in one megawatt.
  3. 3.To go back the other way, divide by 1341.0221, or multiply by 7.4570 × 10^-4.

Worked example: 25 megawatts to horsepower

Formula
MW × 1341.0221 = hp
Arithmetic
25 × 1341.0221 = 33,525.55224 hp
Answer
25 MW = 33,525.55224 hp

The factor is rounded for display; the figure above is computed from the full value.

Megawatts to horsepower conversion table

MegawattsHorsepower
1 MW1,341.02209 hp
2 MW2,682.044179 hp
3 MW4,023.066269 hp
4 MW5,364.088358 hp
5 MW6,705.110448 hp
6 MW8,046.132538 hp
7 MW9,387.154627 hp
8 MW10,728.176717 hp
9 MW12,069.198806 hp
10 MW13,410.220896 hp
12 MW16,092.265075 hp
15 MW20,115.331344 hp
20 MW26,820.441792 hp
25 MW33,525.55224 hp
50 MW67,051.10448 hp
100 MW134,102.20896 hp
200 MW268,204.41792 hp
300 MW402,306.62688 hp
500 MW670,511.0448 hp
1000 MW1,341,022.0896 hp
2000 MW2,682,044.1792 hp
5000 MW6,705,110.448 hp
10000 MW13,410,220.896 hp

What is a megawatt?

A million watts. Generating plant and grid capacity are quoted in it: one megawatt runs roughly 750 homes in the US at average draw.

What is a horsepower?

Mechanical horsepower: exactly 550 foot-pounds of work every second, the figure James Watt settled on to sell engines against pit ponies. US vehicle and motor ratings use it.

How many horsepower are in a megawatt?

One megawatt is 1341.0221 horsepower. Going the other way, one horsepower is 7.4570 × 10^-4 megawatts. Both figures come from the same defined relation rather than from a measurement, which is why they are the same today as they were in 1959.

Every power unit here

UnitSymbolOne of these is
Horsepowerhp745.69987 watt
Metric horsepowerPS735.49875 watt
WattsWthe base unit
KilowattskW1000 watt
MegawattsMW1000000 watt
BTU per hourBTU/h0.29307107 watt

Source: NIST Special Publication 811 — mechanical horsepower is 550 ft·lbf/s exactly

Questions people actually ask

How many horsepower are in a megawatt?
1341.0221. Mechanical horsepower: exactly 550 foot-pounds of work every second, the figure James Watt settled on to sell engines against pit ponies. US vehicle and motor ratings use it.
How do I convert horsepower back to megawatts?
Divide by 1341.0221, or multiply by 7.4570 × 10^-4 — they are the same operation.

Other power conversions

Horsepower to megawatts — the same conversion the other way.