A solid state power controller , comprising: at least one solid state switching device having a line input (VLine) and a load output (LOAD OUTPUT), the solid state switching device configured to switch an electrical voltage applied to the line input to "ON" or "OFF" with respect to the load output, and a clamping circuit configured to clamp a voltage drop across the line input and load output of the solid state switching device to a predetermined clamping voltage, wherein the solid state power controller is configured to temporarily reduce the clamping voltage during an "OFF" switching operation in which the solid state switching device is switched to "OFF" with respect to the load output; wherein the solid state switching device comprises a control terminal (G) and the clamping circuit is configured to provide a time dependent voltage feedback to the control terminal (G) of solid state switching device ; wherein the clamping circuit is configured to reduce the clamping voltage during a transition period in which the solid state switching device is operated in linear mode such as to allow a transient current to flow in the solid state switching device; wherein the clamping circuit is configured to reduce the clamping voltage to a minimum value at the start of the transition period and increase the clamping voltage from the minimum value to the predetermined value at the end of the transition period; characterized in that the clamping circuit is configured to increase the clamping voltage from the minimum value according to a decrease rate of the transient current flowing in the solid state switching device during the transition period, such that at each time during the transition period approximately the same power will have to be dissipated by the solid state switching device . at least one solid state switching device having a line input (VLine) and a load output (LOAD OUTPUT), the solid state switching device configured to switch an electrical voltage applied to the line input to "ON" or "OFF" with respect to the load output, and a clamping circuit configured to clamp a voltage drop across the line input and load output of the solid state switching device to a predetermined clamping voltage, wherein the solid state power controller is configured to temporarily reduce the clamping voltage during an "OFF" switching operation in which the solid state switching device is switched to "OFF" with respect to the load output; wherein the solid state switching device comprises a control terminal (G) and the clamping circuit is configured to provide a time dependent voltage feedback to the control terminal (G) of solid state switching device ; wherein the clamping circuit is configured to reduce the clamping voltage during a transition period in which the solid state switching device is operated in linear mode such as to allow a transient current to flow in the solid state switching device; wherein the clamping circuit is configured to reduce the clamping voltage to a minimum value at the start of the transition period and increase the clamping voltage from the minimum value to the predetermined value at the end of the transition period; characterized in that the clamping circuit is configured to increase the clamping voltage from the minimum value according to a decrease rate of the transient current flowing in the solid state switching device during the transition period, such that at each time during the transition period approximately the same power will have to be dissipated by the solid state switching device . <EOS>