A three-phase active front-end motor drive system with short circuit protection, the drive system comprising: a multi-level converter having a converter neutral common point configured to transfer power from a three-phase alternating current power source to a first direct current bus, the first direct current bus having a positive terminal, a negative terminal, and a neutral common point; a second DC bus having a positive terminal and a negative terminal, the second DC bus operably connected to the first DC bus, with the positive terminal of the second DC bus operably connected to the positive terminal of the first DC bus, and the negative terminal of the second DC bus operably connected to the negative terminal of the first DC bus; an inverter operably connected to the second DC bus, the inverter configured to draw power from the positive terminal of the second DC bus and negative terminal of the second DC bus to provide a plurality of motor excitation signals, the inverter having an inverter neutral common point; a neutral point selection device operably connected to the first DC bus neutral common point of the first DC bus and selectively connectable to at least one of the converter neutral common point and the inverter neutral common point, characterised by the neutral point selection device configured to disconnect the at least one of the converter neutral common point and the inverter neutral common point from the first DC bus neutral common point under selected conditions, wherein the selected conditions include at least one of a motor fault condition, a short fault condition, or an overcurrent condition; and a first bus selection device operably connected to the positive terminal of first DC bus and selectively connectable to the positive terminal of second DC bus, and a second bus selection device operably connected to the negative terminal of first DC bus and selectively connectable to the negative terminal of second DC bus, the first and second bus selection devices configured to disconnect the second DC bus from the first DC bus under the selected conditions. a multi-level converter having a converter neutral common point configured to transfer power from a three-phase alternating current power source to a first direct current bus, the first direct current bus having a positive terminal, a negative terminal, and a neutral common point; a second DC bus having a positive terminal and a negative terminal, the second DC bus operably connected to the first DC bus, with the positive terminal of the second DC bus operably connected to the positive terminal of the first DC bus, and the negative terminal of the second DC bus operably connected to the negative terminal of the first DC bus; an inverter operably connected to the second DC bus, the inverter configured to draw power from the positive terminal of the second DC bus and negative terminal of the second DC bus to provide a plurality of motor excitation signals, the inverter having an inverter neutral common point; a neutral point selection device operably connected to the first DC bus neutral common point of the first DC bus and selectively connectable to at least one of the converter neutral common point and the inverter neutral common point, characterised by the neutral point selection device configured to disconnect the at least one of the converter neutral common point and the inverter neutral common point from the first DC bus neutral common point under selected conditions, wherein the selected conditions include at least one of a motor fault condition, a short fault condition, or an overcurrent condition; and a first bus selection device operably connected to the positive terminal of first DC bus and selectively connectable to the positive terminal of second DC bus, and a second bus selection device operably connected to the negative terminal of first DC bus and selectively connectable to the negative terminal of second DC bus, the first and second bus selection devices configured to disconnect the second DC bus from the first DC bus under the selected conditions.