According to one embodiment, a system for actively balancing power between several power units is disclosed. Each of the power units includes a corresponding group of cascoded energy cells. The system for actively balancing power comprises a group of buck/boost circuits used in each of the power units for maintaining an internal power balance among the corresponding group of cascoded energy cells, and an energy distribution circuit for responding to a respective energy need in each of the power units. The energy distribution circuit is configured to transfer energy between the power units to balance power among the power units according to their respective energy needs. In one embodiment, a method for actively balancing power between several power units comprises maintaining the internal power balance among the group of cascoded energy cells within each of the power units, and transferring energy between the power units as needed.