A ROLL of Ulos cloth was draped around the necks of the head of the State Electricity Company (PLN) and five other members of PLN’s board of directors. Hundreds of villagers from the village of Tangga, Asahan regency, North Sumatra, danced and sung Batak-style to welcome the arrival of the guests. On Friday morning two weeks ago, they came to explain the plans for the construction of the third hydroelectric plant at Asahan.

Several residential