A thermoelectric assembly includes first and second shunts spaced apart from one another in a through-plane direction. At least one of the first and second shunts having a shunt area in an in-plane direction. P-n pellets interconnect the first and second shunts electrically in series with one another in the in-plane direction. The p-n pellets have faces that engage the first and second shunts. At least one of the faces have a pellet area. The pellet area is substantially less than the shunt area.