Reactive power compensation device and method for operating a reactive power compensation device

The invention relates inter alia to a reactive power compensation device (30) for an alternating voltage network with a transformer, the secondary side is connected in a star connection and each phase has a secondary-side terminal, wherein between each of the secondary terminals (S1-S3) of the transformer and the neutral point (SP) of the star connection, is connected in one module row circuit (710) having at least two series-connected switch modules (711) each having at least four switches (720) and a capacitor (C). According to the invention it is provided that the transformer is a leakage transformer (40).