Narrative:

Mry ATCT/TRACON suffered commercial power failure resulting in radar loss. In addition, the power failure was throughout western united states. Monterey engine generator failed leaving monterey TRACON with no radar and no operable radios. (The portable emergency transceiver was unusable indoors.) with no power, the telephones (including emergency 'crash' phone) did not operate, nor did the flight data input/output to ZOA host computer, nor the wind instruments, altimeter setting indicator, approach status indicator lights, clocks, light signal gun, or interpos communication (icss). In short, the only things in the entire facility working were 2 small emergency transceivers and the air traffic controllers. All the controllers except me were working blind, deaf, and dumb. The contingency plan calls for assistance from ZOA (who we were unable to contact). A controller from the TRACON was able to reach me and relay to a mooney IFR off wvi that he must maintain VFR (as there was no way to provide any kind of separation). This seems to me to be a total breakdown of the system due to inadequate backup system. With busy traffic on instrument conditions who knows what might have happened. We were very lucky. When I left work XX45L aug/mon/96 there was still no backup power and pacific gas and electric was still concerned about the status of the power grid in california.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FACILITY EXPERIENCED A PWR FAILURE. STANDBY ENG GENERATOR FAILED TO WORK. ALL EQUIP OTS EXCEPT FOR 2 SMALL EMER TRANSCEIVERS.

Narrative: MRY ATCT/TRACON SUFFERED COMMERCIAL PWR FAILURE RESULTING IN RADAR LOSS. IN ADDITION, THE PWR FAILURE WAS THROUGHOUT WESTERN UNITED STATES. MONTEREY ENG GENERATOR FAILED LEAVING MONTEREY TRACON WITH NO RADAR AND NO OPERABLE RADIOS. (THE PORTABLE EMER TRANSCEIVER WAS UNUSABLE INDOORS.) WITH NO PWR, THE TELEPHONES (INCLUDING EMER 'CRASH' PHONE) DID NOT OPERATE, NOR DID THE FLT DATA INPUT/OUTPUT TO ZOA HOST COMPUTER, NOR THE WIND INSTS, ALTIMETER SETTING INDICATOR, APCH STATUS INDICATOR LIGHTS, CLOCKS, LIGHT SIGNAL GUN, OR INTERPOS COM (ICSS). IN SHORT, THE ONLY THINGS IN THE ENTIRE FACILITY WORKING WERE 2 SMALL EMER TRANSCEIVERS AND THE AIR TFC CTLRS. ALL THE CTLRS EXCEPT ME WERE WORKING BLIND, DEAF, AND DUMB. THE CONTINGENCY PLAN CALLS FOR ASSISTANCE FROM ZOA (WHO WE WERE UNABLE TO CONTACT). A CTLR FROM THE TRACON WAS ABLE TO REACH ME AND RELAY TO A MOONEY IFR OFF WVI THAT HE MUST MAINTAIN VFR (AS THERE WAS NO WAY TO PROVIDE ANY KIND OF SEPARATION). THIS SEEMS TO ME TO BE A TOTAL BREAKDOWN OF THE SYS DUE TO INADEQUATE BACKUP SYS. WITH BUSY TFC ON INST CONDITIONS WHO KNOWS WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED. WE WERE VERY LUCKY. WHEN I LEFT WORK XX45L AUG/MON/96 THERE WAS STILL NO BACKUP PWR AND PACIFIC GAS AND ELECTRIC WAS STILL CONCERNED ABOUT THE STATUS OF THE PWR GRID IN CALIFORNIA.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.