An apparatus for use in a power distribution system having power-related data that is shared between communication nodes, the apparatus comprising: a mesh-based communications network including a first node and a second node configured to communicate power-related data associated with power consumed in the power distribution system, each of the first and second nodes (104,102) including a communication circuit configured and arranged to communicate the power-related data; at least one of the first and second nodes (104, 102) further including a clock circuit and is configured and arranged to: communicate in mesh-based communications network using a plurality of abstraction layers including a lower-level protocol layer used for node-node interaction involving identification of respective ones of a plurality of other communication nodes and including upper-level protocol layers; provide from the first node a time synchronization request to the second node of the communication nodes after the first node being permitted to join into the mesh-based communications network; set the clock circuit to a parameter conveyed from the second node via timing information provided, in response to the time synchronization request, in a uniquely-recognizable data frame with regard to other data frames as communicated via one of the upper-level protocol layers; and maintain on-going time synchronization by communicating additional time synchronization requests within predetermined time ranges; wherein the first node is further configured and arranged to provide the time synchronization request to the second node node of the communication nodes within a random interval after being permitted to join into the mesh-based communications network, the random interval being randomized for each request as a time within a first time span, wherein the first time span is provided after forming a link with the second node, and wherein the additional time synchronization requests are sent by the first node at periodic times that are each greater than the first time span. a mesh-based communications network including a first node and a second node configured to communicate power-related data associated with power consumed in the power distribution system, each of the first and second nodes (104,102) including a communication circuit configured and arranged to communicate the power-related data; at least one of the first and second nodes (104, 102) further including a clock circuit and is configured and arranged to: communicate in mesh-based communications network using a plurality of abstraction layers including a lower-level protocol layer used for node-node interaction involving identification of respective ones of a plurality of other communication nodes and including upper-level protocol layers; provide from the first node a time synchronization request to the second node of the communication nodes after the first node being permitted to join into the mesh-based communications network; set the clock circuit to a parameter conveyed from the second node via timing information provided, in response to the time synchronization request, in a uniquely-recognizable data frame with regard to other data frames as communicated via one of the upper-level protocol layers; and maintain on-going time synchronization by communicating additional time synchronization requests within predetermined time ranges; wherein the first node is further configured and arranged to provide the time synchronization request to the second node node of the communication nodes within a random interval after being permitted to join into the mesh-based communications network, the random interval being randomized for each request as a time within a first time span, wherein the first time span is provided after forming a link with the second node, and wherein the additional time synchronization requests are sent by the first node at periodic times that are each greater than the first time span. communicate in mesh-based communications network using a plurality of abstraction layers including a lower-level protocol layer used for node-node interaction involving identification of respective ones of a plurality of other communication nodes and including upper-level protocol layers; provide from the first node a time synchronization request to the second node of the communication nodes after the first node being permitted to join into the mesh-based communications network; set the clock circuit to a parameter conveyed from the second node via timing information provided, in response to the time synchronization request, in a uniquely-recognizable data frame with regard to other data frames as communicated via one of the upper-level protocol layers; and maintain on-going time synchronization by communicating additional time synchronization requests within predetermined time ranges; wherein the first node is further configured and arranged to provide the time synchronization request to the second node node of the communication nodes within a random interval after being permitted to join into the mesh-based communications network, the random interval being randomized for each request as a time within a first time span, wherein the first time span is provided after forming a link with the second node, and wherein the additional time synchronization requests are sent by the first node at periodic times that are each greater than the first time span.