A compensation device (20) for compensating for a discharge current has a compensation current generation device (28), a potential generation device (150), active conductor terminals (61, 62, 63, 64) and a PE conductor terminal (65), which active conductor terminals (61, 62, 63, 64) have a first active conductor terminal (61) and a second active conductor terminal (62; 64), which potential generation device (150) is interconnected with the first active conductor terminal (61) and has a potential generation device terminal (155), which potential generation device (150) is designed to provide a potential at the potential generation device terminal (155) which at least temporarily differs from the potential at the first active conductor terminal (61), and which compensation current generation device (28) is designed to effect a compensation current (I_COMP) between the potential generation device terminal (155) and the PE conductor terminal (65).