A surge protection device that includes varistors to absorb surge currents and protect a load from an overvoltage condition. The surge protection device includes a combination of switching elements and diodes. The surge protection device includes a basic cell design that can be easily adapted for higher voltage applications and/or higher discharge current applications and/or higher energy applications by parallel and/or series combinations of the basic cell design. Operation of the device minimizes fatigue to the varistors, thereby extending their useful life. The surge protection device achieves a better ratio of MOV clamping voltage rating versus MOV maximum continuous AC voltage rating, as compared with a conventional MOV installed alone.