An electrostatic shielding arrangement for improving the initial distribution of voltage which in turn reduces the insulation stresses on disc-wound coils resulting from the application of impulse or steep wave-front voltages to such coils. Floating electrostatic shields are placed near or internal of the innermost or the innermost and outermost turns only of a disc coil section. Shields are connected together in pairs, with no more than one shield connection being made between adjacent coil sections.