async def METHOD_NAME(conn: SAConnection, project_uuid: str) -> PositiveInt:
    the_project_owner: PositiveInt | None = await conn.scalar(
        select(projects.c.prj_owner).where(projects.c.uuid == project_uuid)
    )
    if not the_project_owner:
        raise exceptions.ProjectOwnerNotFoundError(project_uuid)
    return the_project_owner