Abstract: In a system for transmitting an electrical power supply by means of an over-head power transmission line supported by power transmission towers, a fault such as a short-circuit fault and a ground fault is detected by providing optical current sensors having opto-magnetic elements and opto-electric field elements on respective conductors of the transmission line to detect a fault current and fault voltage on the basis of the Faraday's effect and Pockel's effect. Light beams passing through the elements are modulated by the magnetic fields induced by the currents passing through the conductors and the voltages on the conductors, and thus include information about the current and voltage. There is further provided a circuit for calculating a distance to a fault point in accordance with the detected current, voltage and a phase difference therebetween and a known impedance of the power transmission line.