In one embodiment, a device in a network detects a power outage event in the network. The device causes an unprotected node in the network to use a first routing topology that includes a power-protected backbone, in response to detecting the power outage event. The power-protected backbone includes one or more nodes that are protected against the power outage event and the unprotected node is not protected against the power outage event. The device routes data for the unprotected node using the first routing topology. The device causes the unprotected node to use a second routing topology that optimizes a path from the unprotected node to a root node of the network based on one or more performance criteria.