Two important new contracts awarded in 2008 in Qatar strengthen Prysmian's position in the Middle East as the partner of choice for players involved in developing the region's power transmission networks. In June Qatar General Electricity & Water Corp. (KAHRAMAA) awarded the consortium led by Prysmian a contract for expanding the country's electric power transmission network. The project, worth a total of Euro 168 million of which Prysmian's share is around Euro 87 million, involves the provision of engineering, production and installation services for high voltage and extra high voltage underground power cables, as part of the project for expanding the power transmission system (Phase VIII) currently underway in Qatar. In September, KAHRAMAA awarded Prysmian another contract worth Euro 140 million to develop the country's first ever submarine power link serving Qatar's capital city of Doha. The Doha project requires Prysmian not only to design the cable but also to install it, with work expected to be completed by the end of 2010. The Middle East has been targeted as a strategic area of expansion for Prysmian. Currently the Group has offices and facilities in Dubai and Abu Dhabi (UAE), Doha (Qatar), Manama (Bahrain) and Kuwait and is involved in several major projects in the region. These include the construction of a submarine power link between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, the supply of high voltage cables and systems to the world's largest aluminium smelter under construction in Abu Dhabi, the Pearl GTL project, the largest Oil&Gas project started in 2006 in Qatar, and the Burj Dubai, the tallest tower in the world in which Prysmian-designed Fire Resistant cables are being installed.