A voltage regulator (105, 205) adapted to be electrically interposed between a utility power supply (120, 220) and a load (125, 225), each having at least one phase, wherein the voltage regulator is configured to regulate the voltage supplied from the utility power supply to the load, the voltage regulator comprising: an autotransformer (115, 215) having, for each phase, a series winding (230a, 230b, 230c) and a regulating winding (235a, 235b, 235c), the regulating winding having a plurality of taps (275a, 275b, 275c) and the series winding having a load side for connection to the load and a supply side for connection to the utility power supply; a controller (110, 210) coupled to the autotransformer, the controller configured to selectably operate the voltage regulator in at least a zero voltage reduction mode and an autotransformer mode; the controller having a zero voltage reduction mode switch (255a, 255b, 255c) connected between a first subset of at least two of the plurality of taps of the regulating winding of each phase; and the voltage regulator characterized by the controller having a normally closed contactor (260a, 260b, 260c), wherein the normally closed contactor is closed in the absence of power to the normally closed contactor, wherein the normally closed contactor is connected between a second subset of at least two of the plurality of taps of the regulating winding of each phase to provide an alternate current path to the zero voltage reduction mode switch, wherein, for each phase, the normally closed contactor is connected in parallel to the zero voltage reduction mode switch, and wherein, in the zero voltage reduction mode, each zero voltage reduction mode switch and each normally closed contactor provide a short circuit across the corresponding subsets of at least two taps of each regulating winding. an autotransformer (115, 215) having, for each phase, a series winding (230a, 230b, 230c) and a regulating winding (235a, 235b, 235c), the regulating winding having a plurality of taps (275a, 275b, 275c) and the series winding having a load side for connection to the load and a supply side for connection to the utility power supply; a controller (110, 210) coupled to the autotransformer, the controller configured to selectably operate the voltage regulator in at least a zero voltage reduction mode and an autotransformer mode; the controller having a zero voltage reduction mode switch (255a, 255b, 255c) connected between a first subset of at least two of the plurality of taps of the regulating winding of each phase; and the voltage regulator characterized by the controller having a normally closed contactor (260a, 260b, 260c), wherein the normally closed contactor is closed in the absence of power to the normally closed contactor, wherein the normally closed contactor is connected between a second subset of at least two of the plurality of taps of the regulating winding of each phase to provide an alternate current path to the zero voltage reduction mode switch, wherein, for each phase, the normally closed contactor is connected in parallel to the zero voltage reduction mode switch, and wherein, in the zero voltage reduction mode, each zero voltage reduction mode switch and each normally closed contactor provide a short circuit across the corresponding subsets of at least two taps of each regulating winding.