Abstract: A short-circuit mitigation device for use in an electrolytic cell (101) is disclosed. The device comprises a switch (302) connected in parallel with a damping load (502). The switch is disposed between a contact (102) and an electrode (106) of the cell (101) to selectively provide an electrical conduction path between the contact and the electrode. The switch comprises a plurality of metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) (402) connected in parallel. The device further comprises a switch controller (306) operably associated with the switch (302) to monitor electric current (308) through the switch and to generate a toggle signal (309) to toggle the switch (302) from a conductive closed state to a non-conductive open state when the electric current exceeds a first threshold value.