Abstract: A high power inverter pole for a voltage sourced inverter suitable for providing compensation in electric power transmission and distribution systems, has a positive switching valve and a negative switching valve connected between closely spaced dc-source terminal, respectively, and a common ac terminal to form a current loop with minimum loop area thereby reducing stray loop inductance and limiting the overshoot voltage on serially connected electronic switches which make up the valves. In a preferred embodiment, the valves are mounted on opposite sides of the web of an insulative I-beam. The electronic switches are incorporated in modular switching units connected in series by C-channel connecting conductors having flanges bolted to the I-beam flanges. The modular units include broad, flat conductors bolted through end flanges to the C-channel connecting conductors. The electronic switches and anti-parallel diodes of the modular units are clamped between these broad, flat conductors.