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 (T2) coupled to the second output terminal of the bridge rectifier and a second terminal (T1) coupled to an electrical ground ; a controllable current switching device having a first terminal, a second terminal and a third terminal (G) being a control terminal, the first terminal coupled to the first terminal (T2) of the current limiting resistor (R ICL ) and the second terminal is coupled to the second terminal (T1) 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 (T1) of the current switching device ; and a driver coupled between the first terminal (T2) of the current limiting resistor (R ICL ) and the third terminal (G) of the controllable current switching device , the driver configured to connect the third terminal (G) 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 (T2) coupled to the second output terminal of the bridge rectifier and a second terminal (T1) coupled to an electrical ground ; a controllable current switching device having a first terminal, a second terminal and a third terminal (G) being a control terminal, the first terminal coupled to the first terminal (T2) of the current limiting resistor (R ICL ) and the second terminal is coupled to the second terminal (T1) 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 (T1) of the current switching device ; and a driver coupled between the first terminal (T2) of the current limiting resistor (R ICL ) and the third terminal (G) of the controllable current switching device , the driver configured to connect the third terminal (G) 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 (T1) of the current switching device ; and a driver coupled between the first terminal (T2) of the current limiting resistor (R ICL ) and the third terminal (G) of the controllable current switching device , the driver configured to connect the third terminal (G) 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 ). <EOS>