Bidirectional power semiconductor device with a wafer having a first main side and a second main side, which is arranged parallel to the first main side, the bidirectional power semiconductor device comprising at least one first gate commutated thyristor cell and at least one second gate commutated thyristor cell, wherein each first gate commutated thyristor cell comprises the following layers in the order from the first main side to the second main side: a first cathode electrode; a first cathode layer of a first conductivity type; a first base layer of a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type; a first drift layer of the first conductivity type; a first anode layer of the second conductivity type; and a first anode electrode, wherein each first gate commutated thyristor cell further comprises a first gate electrode which is arranged lateral to the first cathode layer and separated from the first cathode layer by the first base layer, wherein each second gate commutated thyristor cell comprises the following layers in the order from the first main side to the second main side: a second anode electrode, a second anode layer of the second conductivity type; a second drift layer of the first conductivity type; a second base layer of the second conductivity type; a second cathode layer of the first conductivity type; and a second cathode electrode, wherein each second gate commutated thyristor cell further comprises a second gate electrode which is arranged lateral to the second cathode layer and separated from the second cathode layer by the second base layer, characterized in that the bidirectional power semiconductor device comprises at least two first gate commutated thyristor cells and at least two second gate commutated thyristor cells, wherein the first gate commutated thyristor cells alternate with the second gate commutated thyristor cells, the first base layer of each first gate commutated thyristor cell is separated from a neighbouring second anode layer in a second gate commutated thyristor cell by the first drift layer and the second drift layer extending to the surface of the device, thereby forming a first separation region of the first conductivity type between the first base layer and the second anode layer, and the second base layer of each second gate commutated thyristor cell is separated from a neighbouring first anode layer in a first gate commutated thyristor cell by the first drift layer and the second drift layer extending to the surface of the device, thereby forming a second separation region of the first conductivity type between the second base layer and the first anode layer. a first cathode electrode; a first cathode layer of a first conductivity type; a first base layer of a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type; a first drift layer of the first conductivity type; a first anode layer of the second conductivity type; and a first anode electrode, a second anode electrode, a second anode layer of the second conductivity type; a second drift layer of the first conductivity type; a second base layer of the second conductivity type; a second cathode layer of the first conductivity type; and a second cathode electrode,