How many watts are in one gigawatt (GW)?

One gigawatt (GW) is equivalent to 1,000,000,000 watts. This measurement is based on the metric system's use of the prefix "giga," which denotes a factor of one billion. Therefore, when converting gigawatts to watts, the conversion factor is straightforward:

1 GW = 1,000 megawatts (MW) and since 1 MW = 1,000,000 watts, multiplying these factors gives you:

1 GW = 1,000 MW x 1,000,000 watts/MW = 1,000,000,000 watts.

This is why the correct answer is 1,000,000,000 watts. Understanding these prefixes and their conversions is crucial in fields related to energy production and consumption, where precise measurements of power are essential for calculations and assessments.