kW to kVA Calculator
Convert kW to kVA at any power factor, or kVA back to kW. WattSimple also gives the reactive power, the current at your system voltage, and the next standard generator size up, since gensets are quoted in kW but built to a 0.8 power factor.
Generator sets are quoted in kW but built to a 0.8 power factor, so a 100 kW genset is a 125 kVA machine. Leaving the slider at 0.80 gives you the manufacturer's own convention.
Apparent power
100 kVA
- Real power
- 80 kW
- Apparent power
- 100 kVA
- Reactive power
- 60 kVAR
- Current @ 240V 1ø
- 416.7 A
Next standard generator size
80 kW genset (about 100 kVA at the standard 0.8 PF rating): 0% headroom over the 80 kW load.
A steady-state figure only. Motor starting inrush, step-load acceptance, and altitude and temperature derating all push the required size up. Size a real standby system with the manufacturer and NEC Article 702 (or 700 for emergency systems).
kW to kVA conversion table
kVA = kW ÷ power factor. The lower the power factor, the more kVA a generator, transformer or UPS has to supply for the same real power. Generators are rated at a 0.8 power factor, so the 0.8 column is the kVA rating to look for when sizing one.
| kW | kVAPF 0.95 | kVAPF 0.90 | kVAPF 0.85 | kVAPF 0.80 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 kW | 1.05 | 1.11 | 1.18 | 1.25 |
| 2 kW | 2.11 | 2.22 | 2.35 | 2.5 |
| 5 kW | 5.26 | 5.56 | 5.88 | 6.25 |
| 7.5 kW | 7.89 | 8.33 | 8.82 | 9.38 |
| 10 kW | 10.53 | 11.11 | 11.76 | 12.5 |
| 15 kW | 15.79 | 16.67 | 17.65 | 18.75 |
| 20 kW | 21.05 | 22.22 | 23.53 | 25 |
| 25 kW | 26.32 | 27.78 | 29.41 | 31.25 |
| 30 kW | 31.58 | 33.33 | 35.29 | 37.5 |
| 32 kW | 33.68 | 35.56 | 37.65 | 40 |
| 40 kW | 42.11 | 44.44 | 47.06 | 50 |
| 50 kW | 52.63 | 55.56 | 58.82 | 62.5 |
| 60 kW | 63.16 | 66.67 | 70.59 | 75 |
| 75 kW | 78.95 | 83.33 | 88.24 | 93.75 |
| 80 kW | 84.21 | 88.89 | 94.12 | 100 |
| 100 kW | 105.26 | 111.11 | 117.65 | 125 |
| 125 kW | 131.58 | 138.89 | 147.06 | 156.25 |
| 150 kW | 157.89 | 166.67 | 176.47 | 187.5 |
| 200 kW | 210.53 | 222.22 | 235.29 | 250 |
| 250 kW | 263.16 | 277.78 | 294.12 | 312.5 |
| 300 kW | 315.79 | 333.33 | 352.94 | 375 |
| 500 kW | 526.32 | 555.56 | 588.24 | 625 |
| 750 kW | 789.47 | 833.33 | 882.35 | 937.5 |
| 1,000 kW | 1,052.63 | 1,111.11 | 1,176.47 | 1,250 |
Use the power factor on the equipment nameplate when you have it. Have a kVA rating and want to know the kW it delivers? kVA to kW. For a home backup generator, the generator sizing calculator works from your appliances instead.
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Sources & standards
This tool's methodology and data follow US standards and authoritative public datasets: