Reactive Energy Converter
Convert reactive energy between varh, kvarh and Mvarh - useful when reading industrial electricity meters and utility bills.
About the Reactive Energy Converter
This tool converts reactive energy between varh (volt-ampere reactive hours), kilovarh (kvarh) and megavarh (Mvarh). Reactive energy is reactive power accumulated over time, the way kilowatt-hours are real power over time, and it appears on industrial electricity meters and utility bills.
How to use it
- Enter the value you have into its field, such as a meter reading in kvarh.
- Read the equivalent in varh or Mvarh.
- Convert in either direction when a bill or meter log uses a different prefix.
The prefixes scale by 1000: 1 kvarh is 1000 varh and 1 Mvarh is 1000 kvarh. Utilities meter reactive energy because customers drawing a lot of reactive power can be charged a power-factor penalty, and the kvarh figure is the basis for that charge. It complements active energy in kWh: a meter often records both. This is purely a unit conversion of reactive energy values, runs entirely in your browser, and uploads nothing you enter.
Frequently asked questions
How many varh are in a kvarh?
One kilovarh equals 1000 varh, and one megavarh equals 1000 kvarh or 1,000,000 varh.
What is reactive energy?
Reactive energy is reactive power integrated over time, measured in varh. It is the reactive counterpart to active energy in kilowatt-hours and appears on many industrial meters.
Why does my electricity bill show kvarh?
Utilities track reactive energy to assess your power factor. If you draw too much reactive energy relative to active energy, you may face a power-factor surcharge.
How is kvarh different from kWh?
kWh measures active energy that does useful work, while kvarh measures reactive energy that supports voltage and magnetic fields but does no net work. Meters often record both separately.