A crucial external power supply to the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in Ukraine has been restored after nearly three weeks, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Monday.
A damaged power line was repaired during an IAEA-brokered "localized ceasefire," the UN nuclear watchdog said in Vienna.
IAEA chief Rafael Grossi described the restoration as a crucial step towards preventing a nuclear accident.
The front-line plant requires a stable electricity supply to cool radioactive material and operate other essential safety systems.
Its last remaining external power line was damaged during fighting on August 20, leaving the facility dependent on emergency diesel generators.
Fuel supplies for the generators had been running low in recent days, and without the repair the nuclear facility could have suffered a complete loss of power, according to the IAEA.
The Zaporizhzhya plant, Europe's largest nuclear power station, came under Russian control shortly after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
All six reactors are currently shut down and are not generating electricity.
Before the war, the plant had 10 external power lines supplying electricity for cooling and other essential systems.