Gigawatts to Terawatts Converter
Enter the power in gigawatts below to convert it to terawatts.
Convert Gigawatts to Terawatts
Enter a value in gigawatts (GW) to convert to terawatts (TW).
Gigawatt to Terawatt Conversion Table
Table showing various gigawatt measurements converted to terawatts. Click any preset value or arrow to load it into the converter.
How to Convert Gigawatts to Terawatts
To convert gigawatts to terawatts, multiply the power by the following conversion ratio: 0.001 terawatts/gigawatt.
Since one gigawatt is equal to 0.001 terawatts, you can use this simple formula to convert:
The power in terawatts is equal to the power in gigawatts multiplied by 0.001.
For example, here's how to convert 5 gigawatts to terawatts using the formula above.
How Many Terawatts Are in a Gigawatt?
There are 0.001 terawatts in a gigawatt, which is why we use this value in the formula above.
Our gigawatt to terawatt calculator automatically converts your power measurements with full decimal and scientific precision across US customary, imperial, and SI metric standards.
Gigawatts and terawatts are both units used to measure power. Keep reading to learn more about each unit.
What Is a Gigawatt?
A gigawatt is a unit of power equal to 1,000,000,000 watts (W), the base unit for power. Equal to 1,000,000,000 Watts (1,000 MW). [1]
The gigawatt is classified as an International System of Units (SI) unit of power. Gigawatts can be abbreviated as GW; for example, 1 gigawatt can be written as 1 GW.
In the metric system, "giga" is the standard SI prefix for billions, or 10⁹. This makes the gigawatt (GW) a convenient decimal multiple of the watt (W).
In practice, gigawatts (GW) are widely used across large-scale industrial, bulk, and macro-level power specifications within International System of Units (SI) workflows, engineering documentation, and technical data sheets.
What Is a Terawatt?
A terawatt is a unit of power equal to 1e+12 watts (W), the base unit for power. Equal to 10¹² Watts (1,000 GW). [2]
The terawatt is classified as an International System of Units (SI) unit of power. Terawatts can be abbreviated as TW; for example, 1 terawatt can be written as 1 TW.
In the metric system, "tera" is the standard SI prefix for trillions, or 10¹². This makes the terawatt (TW) a convenient decimal multiple of the watt (W).
In practice, terawatts (TW) are widely used across large-scale industrial, bulk, and macro-level power specifications within International System of Units (SI) workflows, engineering documentation, and technical data sheets.
When converting power between gigawatts (GW) and terawatts (TW), keep full floating-point precision (1 GW = 0.001 TW; 1 TW = 1,000 GW) during intermediate calculations and round only the final terawatt figure to match your instrument tolerance.
More Gigawatt & Terawatt Conversions
Need to calculate in the opposite direction? Use our terawatts to gigawatts calculator to switch your starting unit immediately. You can also explore related tools such as converting terawatts to gigawatts, converting watts to horsepower (hp), or converting horsepower (hp) to watts.
Convert from Gigawatts
Frequently Asked Questions
References
- [1]NIST SP 811 StandardNIST SP 811 (NIST SP 811 App. B.9 (Power & Radiant Flux))·Power Metrology Standard — Gigawatts (GW) to Terawatts (TW)
- [2]NIST CUU SpecificationNIST CUU (Derived SI Unit: Watt (W))·Unit Specifications: Gigawatt (GW) & Terawatt (TW)
- [3]BIPM ReferenceBIPM (SI Brochure (9th Ed.) — Power)·Conversion Factors & Mathematical Basis (GW to TW)