The offer consists of 8.82 billion shares that will be offered in an indicative range of HK$2.43 to HK$2.78 each, Thomson Reuters publication IFR said late on Sunday, citing sources familiar with the deal.

That would put the total value of the offer at up to HK$24.52 billion ($3.16 billion).

CGN Power plans to use the funds to expand its installed capacity with nine new power generating units and increase its stake in a nuclear power station controlled by its parent, state-owned China General Nuclear Power Corp., according to its preliminary IPO prospectus.

CGN Power could not immediately be reached for comment outside business hours on Sunday.

(1 US dollar=7.7578 Hong Kong dollars)

(Reporting by Fiona Lau of IFR; Writing by Elzio Barreto; Editing by Greg Mahlich)