A system and method for a power inverter with controllable clamps comprises a first voltage swing path, the first voltage swing path including a first plurality of power transistors, the first voltage swing path producing portions of a positive half-wave of an output signal when active; a second voltage swing path, the second voltage swing path including a second plurality of power transistors, the second voltage swing path producing portions of a negative half-wave of the output signal when active; a first clamping component coupled to the first voltage swing path, the first clamping component forming a freewheeling path for the first voltage swing path, the first clamping component comprising a control terminal, the first clamping component having a first stored charge when the control terminal is in a first state and a second stored charge when the control terminal is in a second state, the first stored charge being greater than the second stored charge; and a second clamping component coupled to the second voltage swing path, the second clamping component forming a freewheeling path for the second voltage swing path, the second clamping component comprising a control terminal, the second clamping component having the first stored charge when the control terminal is in the first state and the second stored charge when the control terminal is in the second state.