Gigawatts to Watts Converter
Enter the power in gigawatts below to convert it to watts.
Convert Gigawatts to Watts
Enter a value in gigawatts (GW) to convert to watts (W).
Gigawatt to Watt Conversion Table
Table showing various gigawatt measurements converted to watts. Click any preset value or arrow to load it into the converter.
How to Convert Gigawatts to Watts
To convert gigawatts to watts, multiply the power by the following conversion ratio: 1,000,000,000 watts/gigawatt.
Since one gigawatt is equal to 1,000,000,000 watts, you can use this simple formula to convert:
The power in watts is equal to the power in gigawatts multiplied by 1,000,000,000.
For example, here's how to convert 5 gigawatts to watts using the formula above.
How Many Watts Are in a Gigawatt?
There are 1,000,000,000 watts in a gigawatt, which is why we use this value in the formula above.
Our gigawatt to watt calculator automatically converts your power measurements with full decimal and scientific precision across US customary, imperial, and SI metric standards.
Gigawatts and watts 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 Watt?
Coherent SI unit of power equal to 1 Joule per second (1 J/s). It serves as a primary reference unit for measuring power across scientific and practical applications. [2]
The watt is classified as an International System of Units (SI) unit of power. Watts can be abbreviated as W; for example, 1 watt can be written as 1 W.
As the primary coherent reference unit for power in this category, all other power units are mathematically anchored to the watt (W).
In practice, watts (W) are widely used across standard power applications within International System of Units (SI) workflows, engineering documentation, and technical data sheets.
When converting power between gigawatts (GW) and watts (W), keep full floating-point precision (1 GW = 1,000,000,000 W; 1 W = 1e-9 GW) during intermediate calculations and round only the final watt figure to match your instrument tolerance.
More Gigawatt & Watt Conversions
Need to calculate in the opposite direction? Use our watts to gigawatts calculator to switch your starting unit immediately. You can also explore related tools such as converting watts to gigawatts, converting horsepower (hp) to watts, or converting btu/hr to watts.
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 Watts (W)
- [2]NIST CUU SpecificationNIST CUU (Derived SI Unit: Watt (W))·Unit Specifications: Gigawatt (GW) & Watt (W)
- [3]BIPM ReferenceBIPM (SI Brochure (9th Ed.) — Power)·Conversion Factors & Mathematical Basis (GW to W)