% Economic Challenge \begin{frame}{Small modular reactors face an unsustainable staffing cost problem} \begin{center} \begin{tikzpicture} \draw[thick, fill=gray!20] (0,0) rectangle (12,6); \node[align=center, text width=10cm] at (6,3) { \textbf{FIGURE: Staffing Cost Comparison}\\[0.3cm] Bar chart showing:\\ - Conventional reactor: lower \$/MW staffing\\ - SMR: higher \$/MW staffing\\[0.3cm] Highlight: Same overhead, less output\\ \$21--28B annual market opportunity }; \end{tikzpicture} \end{center} \end{frame} % SPEAKER NOTES: % The Economic Reality: % - Current requirement: 2+ ROs + 1+ SRO per unit % - Training: up to 6 years % - SMRs have same overhead but lower output % - Result: Higher $/MW O&M costs threaten viability % % The Market Opportunity: % - Datacenter demand: 1,050 TWh annually by 2030 % - Nuclear O&M: 23-30% of levelized cost ($88.24/MWh) % - Annual O&M for datacenter demand alone: $21-28 billion % % Key message: Automation is not optional---it's economically essential