A control circuit is configured to apply a drive voltage to a solid state switching device comprising a first terminal (D), a second terminal (S) and a control terminal (G), the solid state switching device configured to switch, according to the drive voltage applied to the control terminal (G), between an OFF operation mode in which the second terminal (S) is electrically disconnected from an electrical supply voltage applied to the first terminal (D), and an ON operation mode in which the second terminal (S) is electrically connected to the electrical supply voltage applied to the first terminal (D) such as to connect a load circuit to the electrical supply voltage.