A load control device to control current flow to an AC load, the load control device comprising: a circuit including: an input connectable to line terminals of an AC source (12a, 12b, 12c) so as to receive a supply voltage therefrom, the supply voltage having a supply frequency; an output connectable to load terminals of the AC load; supply lines (14, 16, 18) connecting the input and output to transmit power from the AC source (12a, 12b, 12c) to the AC load, each supply line (14, 16, 18) corresponding to a phase (A, B, C) in the AC load; a plurality of line-side switches (22, 24, 26) connected between the line terminals and the load terminals, such that only one line-side switch (22, 24, 26) is provided for each phase (A, B, C) and its respective supply line (14, 16, 18); and a plurality of floating-neutral side switches (28, 30, 32) connected to the load terminals at one end and together at a common connection at another end, such that only one floating-neutral side switch (28, 30, 32) is provided for each phase (A, B, C) and its respective supply line (14, 16, 18); and a controller connected to the circuit and being programmed to control the circuit so as to cause each of the plurality of line-side switches (22, 24, 26) and each of the plurality of floating-neutral side switches (28, 30, 32) to switch between an On condition or an Off condition to selectively operate the circuit in an active mode and a free-wheeling mode, with a full phase voltage being provided to the load terminals during the active mode and a zero voltage being provided to the load terminals during the free-wheeling mode; wherein, in controlling the circuit, the controller is programmed to apply a modulating function to the circuit, so as to modulate the supply voltage to control a frequency and an average of a load voltage present across the load terminals of the AC load, thereby enabling variable frequency operation of the AC load. a circuit including: an input connectable to line terminals of an AC source (12a, 12b, 12c) so as to receive a supply voltage therefrom, the supply voltage having a supply frequency; an output connectable to load terminals of the AC load; supply lines (14, 16, 18) connecting the input and output to transmit power from the AC source (12a, 12b, 12c) to the AC load, each supply line (14, 16, 18) corresponding to a phase (A, B, C) in the AC load; a plurality of line-side switches (22, 24, 26) connected between the line terminals and the load terminals, such that only one line-side switch (22, 24, 26) is provided for each phase (A, B, C) and its respective supply line (14, 16, 18); and a plurality of floating-neutral side switches (28, 30, 32) connected to the load terminals at one end and together at a common connection at another end, such that only one floating-neutral side switch (28, 30, 32) is provided for each phase (A, B, C) and its respective supply line (14, 16, 18); and an input connectable to line terminals of an AC source (12a, 12b, 12c) so as to receive a supply voltage therefrom, the supply voltage having a supply frequency; an output connectable to load terminals of the AC load; supply lines (14, 16, 18) connecting the input and output to transmit power from the AC source (12a, 12b, 12c) to the AC load, each supply line (14, 16, 18) corresponding to a phase (A, B, C) in the AC load; a plurality of line-side switches (22, 24, 26) connected between the line terminals and the load terminals, such that only one line-side switch (22, 24, 26) is provided for each phase (A, B, C) and its respective supply line (14, 16, 18); and a plurality of floating-neutral side switches (28, 30, 32) connected to the load terminals at one end and together at a common connection at another end, such that only one floating-neutral side switch (28, 30, 32) is provided for each phase (A, B, C) and its respective supply line (14, 16, 18); and a controller connected to the circuit and being programmed to control the circuit so as to cause each of the plurality of line-side switches (22, 24, 26) and each of the plurality of floating-neutral side switches (28, 30, 32) to switch between an On condition or an Off condition to selectively operate the circuit in an active mode and a free-wheeling mode, with a full phase voltage being provided to the load terminals during the active mode and a zero voltage being provided to the load terminals during the free-wheeling mode; wherein, in controlling the circuit, the controller is programmed to apply a modulating function to the circuit, so as to modulate the supply voltage to control a frequency and an average of a load voltage present across the load terminals of the AC load, thereby enabling variable frequency operation of the AC load.