Convert Volt-Ampere to Megawatt (VA → MW)

Converting volt-amperes to megawatts is straightforward: multiply by the conversion factor. Follow these three steps to do it by hand or in your head.

1. 1
   Take your value in volt-amperes

   Start with the number of volt-amperes (VA) you want to convert.
2. 2
   Multiply by 0.000001

   The conversion factor from VA to MW is 0.000001. Multiply your value by this number.
3. 3
   Read the result in megawatts

   The result is your value in megawatts (MW).

Multiply the value in volt-amperes by 0.000001. For the reverse direction, multiply by 1,000,000.

• ✓VA = V × A (RMS).
• ✓For purely resistive loads, VA = W.
• ✓For motors, computers: VA > W (power factor < 1).

• ✗Treating VA and W as identical — only true for resistive loads.
• ✗Buying UPS by W when VA rating is required.
• ✗Ignoring power factor in transformer sizing.

What is the Volt-Ampere?

The volt-ampere (VA) is the SI unit of apparent power in alternating-current (AC) electrical systems. Equal to volts times amperes, the VA represents the magnitude of power flowing in an AC circuit before accounting for the phase relationship between voltage and current. For purely resistive loads (incandescent bulbs, heaters), 1 VA = 1 W. For reactive loads (motors, transformers, fluorescent lights), the apparent power (VA) is larger than the real power (W) because of the phase shift — the ratio is the 'power factor.' Transformers, UPS units, and generators are rated in VA or kVA (kilo-VA) because they must handle the apparent power, not just the real power. A typical home UPS for a desktop computer is 600–1,500 VA. The VA relates to the watt (1 VA = 1 W only at unity power factor), the kilovolt-ampere (1 kVA = 1,000 VA), and the megavolt-ampere (1 MVA = 10⁶ VA — used in utility-scale transformers).

• Transformer sizing
• Uninterruptible power supply (UPS) ratings
• Generator capacity

What is the Megawatt?

The megawatt equals 1,000,000 watts (or 1,000 kW) and rates power plants, large industrial facilities, and grid-scale renewable installations worldwide. A typical natural-gas turbine generates 50–500 MW, a nuclear reactor produces 800–1,600 MW, and the largest hydroelectric plant (Three Gorges Dam in China) has 22,500 MW capacity. Wind turbines are rated 1.5–15 MW each (modern offshore turbines reach 14 MW). Solar farms range from 50 MW (small) to 1,500+ MW (large utility-scale projects). Electric grid demand for entire countries is measured in gigawatts (1 GW = 1,000 MW): the United States peaks at about 750 GW. The megawatt relates to the kilowatt (1,000 kW = 1 MW), the gigawatt (1,000 MW = 1 GW), and the megawatt-hour (when multiplied by time). Electricity wholesale markets bid in MW capacity and MWh energy.

• Power-station electrical output
• Wind and solar farm capacity
• Large industrial electricity consumption