Abstract: In a protective relay system for an electric power system having two terminals at which electrical quantity is sampled in synchronism with a clock signal produced at each terminal, and the sampled electrical quantity data are exchanged for protection at said opposite terminal: a synchronous signal is transmitted from each terminal toward the opposite terminal; time data T1 is transmitted from a first terminal SS2 toward a second terminal SS1, the time data T1 indicating a time point t.sub.1 of the transmission of the synchronous signal toward the second terminal SS1 with reference to the clock signal; the time data T0 is transmitted from the second terminal SS1 toward the first terminal SS2, subsequent to reception of the synchronous signal from the first terminal SS2, the time data T0 indicating a valuet.sub.0 -T1+t.sub.2where t.sub.