How many horsepower is 1 megawatt?

One megawatt equals approximately 1,341.02 mechanical horsepower, 1,340.48 electrical horsepower, or 1,359.62 metric horsepower (PS). The difference between the types is less than 1.5%.

What is the formula to convert MW to HP?

Multiply the megawatt value by 1,000,000 to get watts, then divide by the HP factor: mechanical hp = MW x 1,000,000 / 745.69987; electrical hp = MW x 1,000,000 / 746; metric PS = MW x 1,000,000 / 735.49875.

What is the difference between mechanical, electrical, and metric horsepower?

Mechanical (imperial) horsepower (745.69987 W) is the US standard for engines and motors. Electrical horsepower (746 W exactly) is used for electric motor ratings. Metric horsepower (PS or CV, 735.49875 W) is used in Europe and Asia. The three differ by at most about 1.5%.

Why are megawatts used instead of horsepower for large power sources?

Megawatts produce cleaner numbers for very large outputs. A 500 MW power plant would be listed as about 670,500 mechanical horsepower — an unwieldy figure. The electricity industry standardized on SI watts, while mechanical engineering retained horsepower for motors and vehicles.

Is this tool accurate enough for engineering calculations?

Yes. The conversion factors match ISO and IEEE standards to six or more significant figures, sufficient for equipment selection, specification review, and most engineering work.

Megawatt to Horsepower Converter

Name: Megawatt to Horsepower Converter
Availability: InStock
Author: Nham Vu

Enter megawatts and instantly get mechanical, electrical, and metric horsepower equivalents with a reference table of large power sources.

Megawatt to Horsepower

Megawatts (MW)

Mechanical HP 1,341.02

Electrical HP 1,340.48

Metric HP (PS) 1,359.62

Common Power Sources

Click a row to load that value.

Source	MW	Mech HP

Summary

Enter megawatts and instantly get mechanical, electrical, and metric horsepower equivalents with a reference table of large power sources.

How it works

Enter a megawatt value in the MW input field.
The tool converts MW to watts by multiplying by 1,000,000.
Mechanical horsepower is calculated as W / 745.69987 (1 mech hp = 745.69987 W).
Electrical horsepower is calculated as W / 746 (1 elec hp = 746 W exactly).
Metric horsepower (PS) is calculated as W / 735.49875 (1 PS = 735.49875 W).
Click any row in the reference table to load that power value into the converter.

Use cases

Convert power plant or turbine output from megawatts to horsepower for comparison.
Translate large engine or industrial motor specs between MW and HP units.
Cross-reference generator capacity listed in MW against equipment rated in HP.
Size industrial drive systems when specs mix MW and HP ratings.
Compare vehicle or marine propulsion ratings across different unit systems.
Understand energy infrastructure capacities in familiar horsepower terms.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-07-22 · Reviewed by Nham Vu