Megawatts to Kilovolt-Amperes Converter
How to Convert Megawatts (MW) to Kilovolt-Amperes (kVA)
To convert megawatts (MW) to kilovolt-amperes (kVA), you must account for the Power Factor (PF) of the electrical system.
MW to KVA Calculation Formula
The apparent power S in kilovolt-amperes (kVA) is equal to the real power P in megawatts (MW), multiplied by 1000 and divided by the power factor PF:
S(kVA) = P(MW) × 1000 / PFThus, kilovolt-amperes are equal to megawatts multiplied by 1000 and divided by the power factor:
kVA = (MW × 1000) / PFExample Calculation
If you have a power measurement of 5 MW and a power factor of 0.9, the calculation would be:
S(kVA) = (5 MW × 1000) / 0.9 = 5555.56 kVAReal Power (MW)
Megawatts (MW) represent the actual power consumed by a device, which performs useful work in an electrical system.
Apparent Power (kVA)
Kilovolt-amperes (kVA) represent the total power supplied by the electrical system, including both real power and reactive power.
Power Factor (PF)
Power factor is the ratio between real power (MW) and apparent power (kVA). It indicates how effectively the electrical power is being converted into useful work.
Pro Tip
Always size your electrical systems based on kVA (apparent power) rather than MW (real power) to ensure your system can handle the total power requirement!
For more information on more about megawatts and megawatt-hours, visit this article on Megawatts and Megawatt-Hours.
Megawatt to Kilovolt-Amperes Conversion Table
Formula: kVA = MW × 1000 / Power Factor (PF)
| Megawatts [MW] | kVA at PF=1.0 | kVA at PF=0.9 | kVA at PF=0.8 | kVA at PF=0.7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 MW | 1000 kVA | 1111.11 kVA | 1250 kVA | 1428.57 kVA |
| 2 MW | 2000 kVA | 2222.22 kVA | 2500 kVA | 2857.14 kVA |
| 3 MW | 3000 kVA | 3333.33 kVA | 3750 kVA | 4285.71 kVA |
| 4 MW | 4000 kVA | 4444.44 kVA | 5000 kVA | 5714.29 kVA |
| 5 MW | 5000 kVA | 5555.56 kVA | 6250 kVA | 7142.86 kVA |
| 10 MW | 10000 kVA | 11111.11 kVA | 12500 kVA | 14285.71 kVA |
| 15 MW | 15000 kVA | 16666.67 kVA | 18750 kVA | 21428.57 kVA |
| 20 MW | 20000 kVA | 22222.22 kVA | 25000 kVA | 28571.43 kVA |
| 25 MW | 25000 kVA | 27777.78 kVA | 31250 kVA | 35714.29 kVA |
| 30 MW | 30000 kVA | 33333.33 kVA | 37500 kVA | 42857.14 kVA |
