A power conversion circuit (10; 100), comprising: a bridge rectifier, including: first and second input terminals configured to receive an alternating current voltage, and first and second output terminals configured to output a rectified voltage; a current limiting resistor (R ICL) having a first terminal coupled to the second output terminal of the bridge rectifier and a second terminal coupled to an electrical ground; a controllable current switching device having a first terminal, a second terminal and a third terminal being a control terminal, the first terminal coupled to the first terminal of the current limiting resistor (R ICL) and the second terminal is coupled to the second terminal of the current limiting resistor (R ICL); characterized by further comprising: a negative power supply generation circuit configured to generate a negative supply voltage (-VCC) and being referenced to the same electrical ground as the first terminal of the current switching device; and a driver coupled between the first terminal of the current limiting resistor (R ICL) and the third terminal of the controllable current switching device, the driver configured to connect the third terminal of the controllable current switching device to the negative supply voltage (-VCC) to turn on the controllable current switching device based on a current or a voltage through the current limiting resistor (R ICL) in order to bypass the current limiting resistor (R ICL). a bridge rectifier, including: first and second input terminals configured to receive an alternating current voltage, and first and second output terminals configured to output a rectified voltage; first and second input terminals configured to receive an alternating current voltage, and first and second output terminals configured to output a rectified voltage; a current limiting resistor (R ICL) having a first terminal coupled to the second output terminal of the bridge rectifier and a second terminal coupled to an electrical ground; a controllable current switching device having a first terminal, a second terminal and a third terminal being a control terminal, the first terminal coupled to the first terminal of the current limiting resistor (R ICL) and the second terminal is coupled to the second terminal of the current limiting resistor (R ICL); characterized by further comprising: a negative power supply generation circuit configured to generate a negative supply voltage (-VCC) and being referenced to the same electrical ground as the first terminal of the current switching device; and a driver coupled between the first terminal of the current limiting resistor (R ICL) and the third terminal of the controllable current switching device, the driver configured to connect the third terminal of the controllable current switching device to the negative supply voltage (-VCC) to turn on the controllable current switching device based on a current or a voltage through the current limiting resistor (R ICL) in order to bypass the current limiting resistor (R ICL). a negative power supply generation circuit configured to generate a negative supply voltage (-VCC) and being referenced to the same electrical ground as the first terminal of the current switching device; and a driver coupled between the first terminal of the current limiting resistor (R ICL) and the third terminal of the controllable current switching device, the driver configured to connect the third terminal of the controllable current switching device to the negative supply voltage (-VCC) to turn on the controllable current switching device based on a current or a voltage through the current limiting resistor (R ICL) in order to bypass the current limiting resistor (R ICL).