The kilowatt-hour is a unit of energy equal to one kilowatt of power sustained for one hour or 3600 kilojoules. It is commonly used as a billing unit for energy delivered to consumers by electric utilities.

What does kW mean in electricity?

A kilowatt is 1,000 watts, which is a measure of power. A kilowatt-hour is a measure of the amount of energy a certain machine needs to run for one hour. So, if you have a 1,000 watt drill, it takes 1,000 watts (or one kW) to make it work.

What is a kW equal to?

It may be easier for you to remember that one kilowatt equals 1,000 watts of electrical power when thinking of the prefix's meaning. For example, a microwave with a 1,000-watt label requires 1,000 watts worth of power (or 1 kW) to work.