Lamp base having integral semiconductor transient protection device

A lamp base comprising:

• a neutral contact including a first conductive metal surface;
• a line contact including a second conductive metal surface;
• a semiconductor transient protection device having three terminals, the semiconductor transient protection device formed as an integral component of the lamp base;
• a first terminal of the semiconductor transient protection device in mechanical and electrical contact with the neutral contact;
• a second terminal of the semiconductor transient protection device in mechanical and electrical contact with the line contact;
• a third terminal of the semiconductor transient protection device in electrical contact with a lead-in wire;
• and
• the semiconductor transient protection device configured to isolate the line contact from the neutral contact during a first line voltage input, and to provide a low-resistance shunt path between the line contact and the neutral contact during a second line voltage input.